Confederate Clothing

Hannah Nixon, Announcements editor. February 9th
https://www.splc.org/newsflash.asp?id=1862

During their 2006-07 school year, three students were suspended from Farmington High School for displaying the Confederate flag on their clothing. Almost two weeks ago today, the administrators who called for the suspensions were ruled as justified by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

As each student was suspended almost three years ago, the others supported each other through showing what they call "rebel pride" on their t-shirts, hats and belt buckles. The students refused to cover or remove their clothing, and because their apparel was considered a "substantial distraction," each was suspended.

These students appealed to a district court but were dismissed. The court ruled that because the suspension was due to a clothing distraction, was not an act of "viewpoint discrimination" by an official and did not go against the First Amendment that the school's ban on the Confederate flag was reasonable. The court cited the Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District case where the Supreme Court ruled that school officials must be able to “forecast substantial disruption” before ruling out expression of viewpoints. The court also included that because race-involved events were not happening just in the school district but in the community as well, that they hold the District’s ban “constitutionally permissible.”

Similar to the Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District, the school's racist acts weren't only in the world of education, but it the neighborhoods of the community. Other violent acts had been recorded previous to the suspensions of the Farmington High students. This includes a fight that broke out during a basketball tournament where racial language was used.

The three students did appeal to the federal appeals court after their case was first dismissed, and now plan to go to the Supreme Court.

Although these students were displaying their beliefs, just as any other student may be doing everyday, it is no doubt that their clothing was a distraction to the students and the environment of their school. It is completely unnecessary to flaunt something so greatly when, no matter what a person's personal beliefs are, may be offensive to other people. Especially because of the issue surrounding this debate, racism, there is no reason that these students should not have been suspended. Their actions were out of control and not appropriate for a learning environment.