Cinco de Mayo vs American Flag

[sneakypete]

Let em fly

Principal's email address:
Nick.Boden@mhu.k12.ca.us

Asst Principal:
Miguel.Rodriguez@mhu.k12.ca.us

[sf11b_p]

Now this makes the most sense to me.

If these school administrators would take the time to learn about Cinco de Mayo, they'd possibly understand that U.S. flags, as well as Mexican flags, are appropriate to the celebration. It's not Mexican Independence Day and, honestly, Cinco de Mayo is more widely celebrated on this side of the border. With the help of U.S. troops (and Texas-born General Zaragosa) the Mexicans were able to defeat the French at Puebla on May 5, 1862. It is a significant holiday for Americans to celebrate, too. This battle halted the French, one of the most powerful world forces at the time, from advancing their army further across North America and north to the U.S.
While the U.S. flag is appropriate ANY day in our country, it is 'especially' appropriate for Cinco de Mayo. - Marquisha Washington, Opinion - Washington Examiner

Even though the French were in Mexico supposedly for debt collection and the battle seems more a result of misunderstandings and bumbling.

It's true, it is, or should be, more a Mexican-American holiday than a Mexican holiday, like Pulaski day.

[DJ Urbanovsky]

Kids do things like this. For that matter, so do adults. Back in my Army days, Ranger rolling your cover was all the rage. Command said no Ranger rolls unless you had a Ranger tab. Some guys without tabs thought they were special, but that didn't last long.

Richard, I can appreciate that insofar as the bandannas are concerned. If you can't wear bandannas, you can't wear bandannas. Fine. But the turning inside out of the shirts goes too far. That's our flag, man! That's us. Our flag isn't something to be offended by, it's something to be proud of.

Originally Posted by Richard

These guys came to school in flagrant violation of the school's Dress Code and looking for attention - a chance to be the 'cool' guys of the moment among their peers - and when they got the attention they were seeking and became a distractor to the learning process (which further violated the school's code) and then refused to compromise, they recceived a bit more attention than they had anticipated. Such is life.

IMO - the school could have handled it better but the kids were not entirely innocent in this 'mole hill' of a non-affair, either.

Anybody who has ever had to deal wth such issues as either a school administrator or teacher would understand.

I wonder which parent called the local news.

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

[Richard]

Guys,

We're all making points and offering assumptions based on what was reported in the news and without knowing what was left out - e.g., did these kids do/say anything beyond their clothing choices to goad their peers and foster a situation which became distracting to the point nobody was paying attention to their schooling and everybody was carrying on about the situation which had been created.

From long experience of such matters, I suspect there was a lot more to the story than any of us know.

BTDT - far too many times.

Richard's $.02

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by Richard

Guys,

We're all making points and offering assumptions based on what was reported in the news and without knowing what was left out - e.g., did these kids do/say anything beyond their clothing choices to goad their peers and foster a situation which became distracting to the point nobody was paying attention to their schooling and everybody was carrying on about the situation which had been created.

From long experience of such matters, I suspect there was a lot more to the story than any of us know.

BTDT - far too many times.

Richard's $.02

Richard,

You know I have a deep respect for your opinions on such manners, I'm sorry I can't go along with you on this one............ My response is thank God we have young men who still are willing to "show the colors".......... You were a principal and I want to believe you would have responded in a different manner towards these young men...........

Big Teddy

[Pete]

Watched the news linked video and read about CDM's origins.

So it was an American/Mexican victory over the French?

That makes it a Mexican/American Celibration?

I saw where they had cultural dancers at the school that day.

So if its a day of celibration did they have any gringo cultural events? Did they have any kids wearing Mexican Flag clothing? Were they also kicked out?

Maybe they need a school program on the 4th detailing the 5th's history - the true history.

Maybe some kids should wear a French Flag on April 30th.

[Utah Bob]

Originally Posted by Richard

IMO - the school could have handled it better but the kids were not entirely innocent in this 'mole hill' of a non-affair, either.


And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

Agree

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004

I am trying to think of how to insert a joke about the white T-shirt in here...

Only if it is tied to a stick....

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Ret10Echo

Only if it is tied to a stick....

No white flags that day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camar%C3%B3n

[Sigaba]

Interestingly, the items worn by the students do not comply with federal law on the display of the American flag <<LINK>>.

The fact that the students in question did not know these guidelines adds to my conviction that the gesture was less about a display of patriotism than about high school students being high school students.

YMMV.

[Richard]

You were a principal and I want to believe you would have responded in a different manner towards these young men...

First - I would have sought to gather all relevant facts bearing on the matter brought before me - which this thread does not have - and then, based upon the results, I would have...TBD.

And so it goes...

Richard's $.02

PS - MOO - but the choice of wording for the title of this thread is inflammatorily biased and is not reflective of the situation encountered by the school as presented.

[Ret10Echo]

Originally Posted by Pete

No white flags that day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camar%C3%B3n

légionnaire

Article 7
In combat you act without passion or hatred. You respect vanquished enemies. You never surrender your dead, your wounded, or your weapons.

[longrange1947]

My question is were these kids kicked out?

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local...-92988244.html

No Richard, I do not agree, The vice principal that approached was Latino, My question is, did he provoke through his attitude of a misunderstood celebration that means more now then it used to mean.

I understand and appreciate your experience. I also understood and appreciated my daughters experiences as a teacher. Does not mean that your perspective is always correct. I am tired of this one way street we are now on at appeasing only the other side and punishing only our side.

My opinion and unfortunately here lately "so it goes".

[T-Rock]

Let em fly

Principal's email address:
Nick.Boden@mhu.k12.ca.us

Asst Principal:
Miguel.Rodriguez@mhu.k12.ca.us

Thanks

[uboat509]

I tend to agree with Richard on this one. I think that in this case, motive may be more important than the action. If they were using our flag just to stir up touble rather than because they truly believed in what it stands for, that does not make them any more right than the school officials. I don't have a background in education like some others here but my gut is telling me that there is a lot more to this story. Bottom line, our flag is not a toy to be pulled out so that you can amuse yourself by stirring up controversy. If something comes out that shows that these kids were patriots who wanted to show their patriotism then I will retract my statement.