After listening to the news this morning, I was annoyed to hear that student(s) were suspended from a high school in caldweel county because of actions towards some minority students. The school does not allow students to wear attire that displays the rebel flag. Students were quoted as fearing for their safety at school because of other students. Have we come as far as I had hoped in the battle of equality or was this to class to home and that is the reason it bothered me? Did anyone else hear about this on the Charlotte news?

Renee, being born and raised in Caldwell Co I was really hoping that nobody saw this. It is almost embarrasing. It is no longer an issue for only South Caldwell. Now it is "supposed" to be enforced at all Caldwell Co schools. I don't see the T-shirts as the problem. The T-shirts are not going to physically hurt another student. It is the mind-set and and predjudices of the students that we really need to be focusing on.

This reminds me of a student I had last year who wore a souvenir shirt from the Hunley. This shirt also had a rebel flag on it. This fourth grade student had no idea about the controversy surrounding this flag. His parents allowed him to wear this shirt. You would think that they would have been a little more sensitive to the situation. I agree with Jill that we need to focus on the mind-set and prejudices of our students and help them to become culturally sensitive and aware.

The principal of my husband's school (in Caldwell Co.) told his faculty about the recent school board meeting. He said that he was appalled at the behavior of the people there. Apparently, the rebel flag has been banned from the high schools, and people were actually arguing and yelling about it. Also, I heard today that students (I'm assuming it's just students and not their parents as well) intend to arrive at the school, proudly waving their rebel flags. I didn't hear the news report, so maybe they actually did it. After watching that video about the desegregation of Boston schools, I was disappointed to hear that the same type of thing is still going on here in this area.

My son's friend attends South and he told us that letters were sent home to all parents encouraging them not to allow their children to wear these kinds of t-shirts because it was against the dress code. It was after the letters were sent that the 15 students decided to wear them to "voice" their opposition of this. I don't know, but it sounds like these students were looking to get something started. In fact, from what some of the students at South have been saying the parents are standing behind these students 100%. They fully support this rebellion that is going on.

It is sad that schools are still a battleground for civil rights. It went on in '74 (Boston) and it still continues 30 years later... And they wonder why the great educators are leaving the field. Hmmmm.

As I reflect back to my senior year in high school (1987), I remember the same argument about the rebel flag, and how it was against the dress code... I can understand the argument on both sides, but it is a sad state of affairs if all you are able to "fight" about is a rebel flag. Are there not causes worth fighting for?