http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/20/nava...dex.html?hpt=C2

 

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Ruben Navarrette: Students wore U.S. flag T-shirts after school said no flag shirts
• Navarrette: Was a taunt to Latinos; principal asked them to turn shirts inside-out or go home
• Conservatives hypocritical, he writes, by touting students as martyrs for freedom
• He writes: They always say right of schools to maintain order trumps students' speech rights

 

I am now a big fan of controlling behavior in school

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/20/nava...dex.html?hpt=C2

 

 

I am now a big fan of controlling behavior in school

 

Navarrette: Was a taunt to Latinos; principal asked them to turn shirts inside-out or go home

 

LMAO by wearing an American flag t-shirt...in America. Wow. The audactiy...

 

 

 

 

LMAO by wearing an American flag t-shirt...in America. Wow. The audactiy...

 

A group of teenagers plan to all wear their American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo. Yeah, no possible reason that administrators would think they're just being assholes...

 

A group of teenagers plan to all wear their American flag shirts on Cinco de Mayo. Yeah, no possible reason that administrators would think they're just being assholes...

 

who cares ? You think the guy wearing the jesus smokes bongs shirt wasn't being an ass?

who cares ? You think the guy wearing the jesus smokes bongs shirt wasn't being an ass?

I agree with this. Yes, they were undoubtedly being asses. Yes, they should be allowed to do that, when all they were doing was wearing US flag t-shirts.

 

If they had started verbally assaulting the Hispanic students or something like that, then that's another issue.

 

who cares ? You think the guy wearing the jesus smokes bongs shirt wasn't being an ass?

 

Yes, he was. I didn't say the flag shirt kids should have been sent home or punished.

I agree with this. Yes, they were undoubtedly being asses. Yes, they should be allowed to do that, when all they were doing was wearing US flag t-shirts.

 

If they had started verbally assaulting the Hispanic students or something like that, then that's another issue.

 

In public, yes. In a school building, not if the school doesn't approve. Just like a workplace, it is their prerogative to create the sort of environment they want, and that they think is safe.

In public, yes. In a school building, not if the school doesn't approve. Just like a workplace, it is their prerogative to create the sort of environment they want, and that they think is safe.

I think this is a tough case though. The shirt isn't offensive - its a flag. For that matter, I don't care what country's flag it is, its still not offensive. I understand why schools are allowed to set rules like that, I just think the rules shouldn't allow them to be quite that sensitive about it. This doesn't teach kids how do deal with assholes, which they will encounter throughout their life - it teaches them that someone else will take care of that for them.

 

I think this is a tough case though. The shirt isn't offensive - its a flag. For that matter, I don't care what country's flag it is, its still not offensive. I understand why schools are allowed to set rules like that, I just think the rules shouldn't allow them to be quite that sensitive about it. This doesn't teach kids how do deal with assholes, which they will encounter throughout their life - it teaches them that someone else will take care of that for them.

 

It isn't about offensive necessarily, but it is about being disruptive. That is a big push, at least in the schools around here. This is coming from a place that saw a real life race riot in the early 90's.

It isn't about offensive necessarily, but it is about being disruptive. That is a big push, at least in the schools around here. This is coming from a place that saw a real life race riot in the early 90's.

 

We had "race" fights every year. Every single year.

We had "race" fights every year. Every single year.

 

This was actually a riot. People throwing bricks on Michigan Blvd etc. It made the national news.

We already had this discussion. And, once again, I whole-heartedly agree with SS2k5

 

You guys are just looking at the basics. Take the time to remember high school. Now be the person not constantly trying to be a dick, but instead be the administrators responsible for hundreds of people's kids every day.

 

Now a group of teenagers comes into school and is clearly taunting a group of other students (every report confirms this), what do you do? Let it progress just because it's an american flag shirt? Or act quickly to neutralize it best you can. Asking them to turn their shirts inside out is NOT a big deal it happened EVERY WEEK at my school. But if the students refused they have every right and are correct to send them home before the kids make a big scene and try and rile up other students.

It isn't about offensive necessarily, but it is about being disruptive. That is a big push, at least in the schools around here. This is coming from a place that saw a real life race riot in the early 90's.

I feel like I remember this, but I just can't pull out any specifics.

The shirt isn't offensive - its a flag. For that matter, I don't care what country's flag it is, its still not offensive.

What about the Confederate States of America or Germany's flag from 1932-1944?

What about the Confederate States of America or Germany's flag from 1932-1944?

Those aren't countries right now, are they?

 

Depends if you ask someone in the south that.

That school is spending millions and millions to educate students, why allow a few to disrupt that process?

 

 

Couldn't the overt display of mexican flags, etc on that day have also been seen as distracting and disruptive to the educational process?

Couldn't the overt display of mexican flags, etc on that day have also been seen as distracting and disruptive to the educational process?

On an actual Mexican holiday? I'm sure Arizona has banned this, but one might think that would be an excellent teaching moment about the history of other cultures.

Couldn't the overt display of mexican flags, etc on that day have also been seen as distracting and disruptive to the educational process?

 

If the school feels that it would cause a distraction because students aren't mature enough to handle it, sure. Pretty much anything can fall under that process.

Couldn't the overt display of mexican flags, etc on that day have also been seen as distracting and disruptive to the educational process?

 

Of course and I am certain that conservatives would have supported those students as well. (Is there enough green in the universe for that comment?) lol

On an actual Mexican holiday? I'm sure Arizona has banned this, but one might think that would be an excellent teaching moment about the history of other cultures.

 

In the United States of America...

In the United States of America...

So, there's no benefit to American students to understand the history of other countries/cultures?

So, there's no benefit to American students to understand the history of other countries/cultures?

 

 

No need to understand, we have nuclear weapons and one hell of an army.

So, there's no benefit to American students to understand the history of other countries/cultures?

 

Boy you just love doing that.

 

Didn't say that. I highlighted the Mexican holiday part. That should have zero relevance to the previous poster's point about students wearing Mexican colors/flags/etc being seen in the same way. It's the equivalent of Americans wearing red, white and blue and american flags on July 4th in other countries. Why should that date have any significance to them? In fact, i'm sure it would go over real well in England.