Blount County students won't be wearing a Confederate flag at school anytime in the future.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a petition from a group of now-former students at William Blount High School who challenged the dress code four years ago. The students were threatened with suspension if they wore Confederate flag T-shirts.
"They should have listened to it, at least heard (our) side of the story," one of the students, Craig White, told WVLT-TV.
"We were just being called out in what we were wearing, when not one of us were involved in what was going on," said his sister, Nicole White. "So it was just unfair to us."
School officials felt the policy was necessary after several race-related incidents, including:
— A racial fight at a basketball game on Feb. 22, 2005;
— An alleged hit list found on March 23, 2005;
— A school lockdown on April 6, 2005, after a student threatened to shoot several students.
The Confederate flag was never specifically banned in Blount County Schools, said Dr. Jane Morton, the system's communications director and compliance coordinator. Principals can prohibit from their schools clothes and other items that feature divisive symbols such as the Confederate flag and the swastika, she said.
Blount County Director of Schools Rob Britt said he is happy the issue is resolved. "We won at the circuit and district levels, and for the Supreme Court not hearing it, really validates and supports our policy and position."
Blount County administrators have always felt they've interpreted and implemented the school board's policy fairly and consistently in all situations, Morton said. "It's been a learning experience for all of us involved in the case; and it really set a precedent for school administrators on how to implement policy."
Britt said the end of the lawsuit reaffirms the dress code policy, and he hopes it will prevent others from trying to wear the Confederate flag in schools.
"We've always tried to keep the best interests of our students at heart," Morton said.
Arguments continue over the board policy, but Britt said tensions have calmed since 2005.
Similar cases, however, are pending elsewhere. The Confederate flag has been banned as an inflammatory symbol of racism, while flag supporters believe they have a free-speech right to express pride in their Southern heritage.
In August, a federal judge in Knoxville upheld a similar ban on Confederate-themed clothing in the Anderson County school system. The case has been appealed to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in part, based on testimony that racial tensions were low at the plaintiff's school.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in South Carolina ruled last month in favor of a Confederate flag clothing ban in the Latta school system. Flag supporters say they will appeal to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The Daily Times 9 oct 2009
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