Ok, if you go to the Modesto Bee web site it explains two things. First the decision was reversed, and second the decision to prohibit the flag came from a single school official who was afraid for the little boy's safety. Seems there were some threats about the flag from other students. So the other stories miss the point that the school official's action was motivated by concern for Cody's safety. And the State of California had nothing to do with this.
Its fine as far as it goes (I didn't watch all the videos, but I think I'm getting the gist of it). Cody had a perfect right to fly his flag, and if the administrator knew of people making threats to him, those people making the threats should have been expelled. Or arrested. There's no excuse for allowing that kind of crap to go on in school.
I just wish that the kids who get bullied, threatened, and beat up, but don't have flags involved, got even a fraction of a percent as much support from the community.
Just to be clear, I intended the additional details not as an excuse but an explanation. Still, as they say, good intentions pave a bad path.
Unfortunately our schools aren't safe, for either students or faculty. And there is only so much school officials can do to control other people's kids. I personally know of middle school teachers assaulted by their students - and they weren't working at inner city schools. Frankly I couldn't even conceive of hitting a teacher at that age. How's fault is it that that is not longer the case? It isn't the teachers.
So I can see the administrator trying to make the least bad, of a no win situation. Unfortunately, in the long run it doesn't confront the real problem.
I wouldn't be too hasty to trash the school administrator, either. At least he didn't end up with a injured or dead kid at his school because he failed to take action.
It's not the administrator per se - but the shift in society that now trashes all which was once held dear - patriotism, honor, hard work. It's that our sense of national pride - held together with niceties like saying the pledge, and raising the flag - has fallen as we abandoned the thoughts they represented. In the same way that a family sitting down to dinner each night holds a family together through tough times, and handshakes and hugs as a traditional method of greeting provide bridges to set aside enmity.
So - the question is - did the same rules come down when the mexican flag was being waved defiantly in recent protests? Probably not.
And in the end - on the bigger scale - perhaps the ones who win in the end are going to be the ones who adhered strictly to their religion and traditions who demanded that we bow to them. We have turned our backs on our religions to the point of denigrating people for their faith and our societal structure is at risk.
Maybe this kid is the beginning of a move towards righting all these wrongs.
KT - I think this qualifies as a World of Good post.
ReplyDeleteAt the redstate link, the kids and adults stand and salute the flag and sing. It's amazing.
Very strange. What's happened since we were in school? My aunt used to work in that school district. I'll have to ask her what up.
ReplyDeleteOk,
ReplyDeleteif you go to the Modesto Bee web site it explains two things. First the decision was reversed, and second the decision to prohibit the flag came from a single school official who was afraid for the little boy's safety. Seems there were some threats about the flag from other students. So the other stories miss the point that the school official's action was motivated by concern for Cody's safety. And the State of California had nothing to do with this.
Its fine as far as it goes (I didn't watch all the videos, but I think I'm getting the gist of it). Cody had a perfect right to fly his flag, and if the administrator knew of people making threats to him, those people making the threats should have been expelled. Or arrested. There's no excuse for allowing that kind of crap to go on in school.
ReplyDeleteI just wish that the kids who get bullied, threatened, and beat up, but don't have flags involved, got even a fraction of a percent as much support from the community.
Kelly, great sleuthing!
ReplyDeleteTim, I agree. Unfortunately, we don't have the social structure we used to ...
ReplyDeleteJust to be clear, I intended the additional details not as an excuse but an explanation. Still, as they say, good intentions pave a bad path.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately our schools aren't safe, for either students or faculty. And there is only so much school officials can do to control other people's kids. I personally know of middle school teachers assaulted by their students - and they weren't working at inner city schools. Frankly I couldn't even conceive of hitting a teacher at that age. How's fault is it that that is not longer the case? It isn't the teachers.
So I can see the administrator trying to make the least bad, of a no win situation. Unfortunately, in the long run it doesn't confront the real problem.
I wouldn't be too hasty to trash the school administrator, either. At least he didn't end up with a injured or dead kid at his school because he failed to take action.
ReplyDeleteIt's not the administrator per se - but the shift in society that now trashes all which was once held dear - patriotism, honor, hard work. It's that our sense of national pride - held together with niceties like saying the pledge, and raising the flag - has fallen as we abandoned the thoughts they represented. In the same way that a family sitting down to dinner each night holds a family together through tough times, and handshakes and hugs as a traditional method of greeting provide bridges to set aside enmity.
ReplyDeleteSo - the question is - did the same rules come down when the mexican flag was being waved defiantly in recent protests? Probably not.
And in the end - on the bigger scale - perhaps the ones who win in the end are going to be the ones who adhered strictly to their religion and traditions who demanded that we bow to them. We have turned our backs on our religions to the point of denigrating people for their faith and our societal structure is at risk.
Maybe this kid is the beginning of a move towards righting all these wrongs.
Amen, Rose.
ReplyDelete