Schools Ban Patriotic Clothes, Flags

Schools Ban Patriotic Clothes, Flags
School Officials Say Move Is Temporary
POSTED: 10:24 am PDT April 3, 2006
UPDATED: 11:08 am PDT April 3, 2006

SAN DIEGO -- In the wake of last week's immigration-reform protests, one school district is taking drastic measures, banning all symbols of patriotism, both U.S. and Mexican.

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Beginning Monday, the Oceanside Unified School District is banning all flags and patriotic clothing. According to school officials, some students are using the garments and flags to taunt classmates.

Some critics of the move are calling it a violation of free speech protections guaranteed by the Constitution.


The American Civil Liberties Union points to the landmark Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines. In that case, school officials attempted to stop students who were protesting the Viet Nam War from wearing black armbands.

"The school has to be able to show a strong likelihood that there is going to material and substantial disruption of school, and if they don’t meet that standard, then they can't censor student speech," said Kevin Neenan of the ACLU.

School officials in Oceanside now say that flags -- whether they are U.S. or Mexican or any other country's -- have now become a divider on campuses, saying that some students are using them to taunt other students.

More @ http://tinyurl.com/hrdor www.nbcsandiego.com

Excuse me while I throw a temper tantrum!

What part of 'This is the United States of America and not United Beaner Land' don't these people understand. Banning students from displaying their nations colors or wearing red,white and blue clothing is f***ing dishonorable to say the least!

This is the U.S.A. not Mexico! How about expelling all illegals from all schools in the U.S.A. and kicking their 'illegal asses' back into 'beaner land' where they belong.

You can color me PO'd to the max on this and I don't care who I offend in the process!!!