Snapshot Report post Posted May 6, 2010 Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees By George Kiriyama NBCBayArea.com updated 28 minutes ago On any other day at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Daniel Galli and his four friends would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population. Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal's office. "They said we could wear it on any other day," Daniel Galli said, "but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday so we were not allowed to wear it today." The boys said the administrators called their T-shirts "incendiary" that would lead to fights on campus. "They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said. The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense." "I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality." But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday. "I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July." As for an apology, the boys and their families say, 'fat chance.' "I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American." The five boys and their families met with a Morgan Hill Unified School District official Wednesday night. The district and the school do not see eye-to-eye on the incident and released the following statement: The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions. The boys will not be suspended and were allowed to return to school Thursday. We spotted one of them when he got to campus -- and, yes, he was sporting an American flag T-shirt. The last time I looked, the AMERICAN flag is red, white and blue. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Non-Typical Solutions Report post Posted May 6, 2010 This is what happens when too much fence sittin goes on. Wonder where the profiling experts are on this one? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gotcoues Report post Posted May 7, 2010 I wish the students would have stayed at school and called the bluff. Suspension over an American Flag T-shirt? I would have liked to see that one! It's time to get off the fence and FIGHT for America. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted May 7, 2010 If those were my kids and they got kicked out of school for something like that, the school district would be talking to my lawyer. When I grew up in school, every morning we had to put our hands on our heart and pledge allegiance to the flag............. "Of the United States of America" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DesertBull Report post Posted May 7, 2010 It was wrong but the kids were wrong for wearing the American Flag as an article of clothing. Have some fricken respect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wackycouesaddict Report post Posted May 7, 2010 Had the same thing happen at our school because we got in trouble for haveing american flags on our trucks so the next day we wore american flag shirts and were ask to leave campus before school even started:( but the mexicans wear there mexican flag bandnas and they wont do anythng. figure they are afraid of being "racist" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted May 9, 2010 Does anyone else notice how the American civil liberties (ACLU) is jumping into this fray? NOT They would only jump in if it was the non American flag being trampled on. I am furious of this whole thing. Sure does make a difference when we have the annointed one as presidente, building bridges and reaching across racial lines to make America a place he and his wife can be proud of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wackycouesaddict Report post Posted May 9, 2010 show respect?? really are you serious and im guessing we should open the borders and give them our house too right? they are showing respect to our counrty the only country were you could even think about talking about this with out being worried but were not aloud to show our pride in it? not sur but that dont sound right Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
