Tenn. Teen Battles School’s Confederate Flag Ban
Duncan Mansfield, AP, August 13, 2008
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Tommy DeFoe wore his Southern pride on his Confederate flag belt buckle Wednesday as he argued in federal court that a school dress code banning such items violated his free speech rights.
“I am fighting for my heritage and my rights as a Southerner and an American,” said the lanky DeFoe, 18, during a break in the trial that started Monday in his lawsuit against the Anderson County School Board and several county education officials.
DeFoe says his great-great uncle served in the Confederate army and “died for the South” in the Civil War.
But heritage was not the issue for school officials in Anderson County, in East Tennessee not far from Knoxville, who suspended DeFoe more than 40 times for violating the dress code before he received his certificate of completion from the county vocational school last fall.
They feared DeFoe’s Confederate flag shirts and belt buckle could inflame racial tensions and violence.
DeFoe’s lawsuit is the latest in a string of cases across the South since the 1990s challenging dress codes that banned Confederate flag apparel: a prom gown in Kentucky, purses in Texas, T-shirts in Kentucky, South Carolina and Georgia.
The all-white jury in DeFoe’s case deliberated two hours and will resume work Thursday.
{snip}
DeFoe’s lawyer claims the issue is whether the school system can ban the Confederate flag, a symbol of racism to some that has been widely associated with the Ku Klux Klan, if it causes no substantial disruption.
All sides agree DeFoe’s clothing failed to draw much notice at Anderson High School, where one of 1,160 students is black, or at the vocational school, where all 200 students are white.
But racial tension had been a problem before at Anderson High, where the arrival of two black students a few years ago was met with racist graffiti and a Confederate flag-raising.
{snip}
Until 2001, the dress code for all Anderson County schools specifically banned the Confederate flag. Then the policy was rewritten to more general language “because we were afraid we would leave something out,” Burrell said. Still, he said it was understood Confederate flag apparel wasn’t allowed.
{snip}
(Posted on August 14, 2008)
Comments
The reporter says the Confederate flag is “a symbol of racism to some.” Some idiots who don’t know the economic causes of the Civil War? {like himself?)
Any bets that a student with Nelson Mandela’s face on a t-shirt would not be bothered?
Posted by gg at 6:08 PM on August 14
They only fear symbols will inflame racial tensions when they’re white symbols. In reality, if a public school bans one thing that’s controversial, they’re supposed to prohibit everything similar.
Posted by Question Diversity at 6:14 PM on August 14
Corn-rows, green, yellow and black jewelry, African symbols, baggy pants and shirts, t-shirts bearing black imagery, large neck-chains, dreadlocks, doo-rags - I presume these will be banned also?
Posted by at 7:39 PM on August 14
How interesting that supporter H.K. Edgerton, shown with DeFoe in the picture, is black! It would be interesting to know if Edgerton is a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans (there ARE some black members, because there were some blacks who fought for the Confederacy, despite what the history books will try to tell you).
Kudos to young DeFoe for his determination to stand up for his rights to express his support of his ancestor; and to H.K. Edgerton for his courage in following his own conscience on the subject of the Confederate flag, and not that of the race hustlers.
Posted by Wayne Engle at 9:01 PM on August 14
I took a rare passenger train trip to Quanah, Texas on June 21,2008.The whole town turned out to meet the train as it came in, because it was the first passenger train in 42 years.
There was a contingent of ten horsemen carrying Flags. One American, one Texas State Flag, and eight Confederate Battle
Flags. The South lives on, and political correctness does not exist on the panhandle of Texas. Those Confederate Flags made me proud of my Confederate ancestors., and proud of those fighting
for the preservation of the White Race.
Posted by at 9:48 PM on August 14
Were Malcolm X hats banned from any Tenn. or any other state’s public school system ? If not, there is another solid proof of anti-white bias and discrimination since 1964 and the continuation of such racial double standards that permeate throughout all levels of self-destructing America.
Posted by Michigan Patriot at 10:24 PM on August 14
Well, anything to protect the feelings of blacks, poor things. Being subjected to all these hate symbols could cause flash-backs to the unholy times of Jim Crow, slavery and no access to white women. Who knows what stress and anxiety this might cause. And, you never know but such symbols might even drive large numbers of blacks to start robbing quick mart stores, running dope, raping, and, if you can believe it, shooting and killing people of lighter pigmentation for no reason. You know, blacks really need reparations to sooth their sensitivities as well as strict hate laws to protect their fragile feelings from words and symbols of hurt.
Cowardly school and other government officials will do anything to coddle minorities. In my ex-hometown, made unlivable by black crime, a new car dealer was cited for flying too many US flags at his lot. Of course this was great publicity for him and his protest gained even more. Anyway I went over and told him he should remove all the US flags and replace them with Mexican flags. The code people wouldn’t dare be so bold as to require this precious symbol be struck as that would offend another godly minority.
Congratulations to the young man for having the cajones to challenge the brain dead “educrates”. This kid has a rare quality: COURAGE.
Posted by at 10:34 PM on August 14
How can it cause racial tension if the entire school is white…?
Posted by at 10:44 PM on August 14
I’d like to know why the DeFoe family continues to tilt at windmills like this. Do they truly believe this perpetual back-and-forth will ever change any minds in the administration or school board? Pigs will fly over a frozen hell long before that happens. The DeFoes need to do now what they should have done years ago — abandon the Marxist indoctrination camp in favor of homeschooling (where the dress code is whatever you want it to be) or a private school.
Posted by Strider at 11:38 PM on August 14
But of course you can’t wear something that might POSSIBLY upset someone or hurt their delicate feelings, in a school where one of 1,160 students is black. ONE. One black student and so 1,160 students have to dress to please the one…This is the world our children will inherit.
Posted by at 11:40 PM on August 14
Let’s face it the public schools are full of communists and socialist, who helped start this whole thing when they funded and instigated the civil rights movement in the 60’s.
This is just the beginning.
What’s going to happen when, as they have reported just recently, whites will be a minority in their own country.
Posted by Gayle Sollenberger at 12:24 AM on August 15
I posted the following on the Knoxville News Sentinel site:
I grew up loving the Confederate (battle) flag, and loving Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Jeb Stuart.
I think that’s the way a child should grow up, loving the symbols and mythic heroes of his native region or country.
It’s very sad and angering to me as an adult to see that myself and others have let these symbols become objects of scorn and contempt, and (for the flag) hatred. That’s always a major defeat for a people, with long-ranging unfortunate consequences.
And this defeat has been extended to the traditional heroes of the entire country—do you imagine your child could tell you as much about all of them together as about either MLK Jr., or Rosa Parks?
Symbols are very important, and which ones are revered and which ones are scorned tell you which way the wind is blowing.
Posted by H. Dumpty at 3:01 AM on August 15
I’m relieved these courts are addressing these vital issues in Tennessee….sure wouldn’t want them to waste their time on trivial matters like say the “Knoxville Horror”!
Posted by at 9:12 AM on August 15
“I am fighting for my heritage and my rights as a Southerner and an American,” said the lanky DeFoe, 18…”
“Lanky”? What you talkin’ ‘bout Willis?
(Lanky: Ungracefully thin and long or tall, also, ungainly)
Yet this “lanker” is no unrefined fool—check out his graceful swagger in the original article’s photo with his non-lanky dream team.
Posted by jokerekoj at 10:23 AM on August 15
“How can it cause racial tension if the entire school is white…?”The answer is that the egalitarians know that to allow anything that smacks of true history or pride in America or true history is a detriment to the plan of destroying everything the Republic once stood for.It doesn’t matter if anyone is offended.The rulers are offended.Never look at the headline or rationalization made by the trators.Read between the lines. http://www.sweetliberty.org/s1.htm
Posted by ibetellindatroof at 11:08 AM on August 15
The left is always finding new words and symbols that they declare “racist” without telling us. Then we are called racist when we say the word or use the symbol
Posted by at 11:13 AM on August 15
Hey, once all the black pride, Malcolm X, and pro-mexican attire are banned from public schools, THEN I’ll say it’s ok to ban the confederate flag
Posted by at 12:12 PM on August 15
I have the address/phone-emails here of the school board(I think it is correct, if not please post the right one):
Anderson County Schools
101 South Main Street, Suite 500
Clinton, TN 37716
865-463-2800
Mr. V.L. Stonecipher, Director of Schools
vstoneci@acs.ac
Johanna Whitley, Director of Technology (Web Author)
jwhitley@acs.ac
I am sending a small selection of t-shirts, ball caps, small flags and belt buckles with the Confederate flag on them. Maybe I’ll give them a call too. And I’m from north of the Mason-Dixon line.
Posted by at 1:02 PM on August 15
Just incredible. Here in Canada, there are blacks driving around with “you wouldn’t understand it….it’s a black thing” spraypainted on their cars. Can you imagine if I drove around in a car that said “you wouldn’t understand it….it’s a white thing”!!!??? I’m sure I wouldn’t have my car or my life for very long.
I keep waiting for the madness to end.
Posted by at 1:13 PM on August 15
According to the Knoxville newspaper, the two schools involved also ban Malcolm X T-shirts, and gang attire.
I don’t know if that counts for much, since the number of black students in both schools is extremely small.
Posted by H. Dumpty at 2:06 PM on August 15
Reminds me of an old high school buddy of mine, who’s name I’ll not reveal. Everyday, in the late 60’s he would pick me and another friend up to go to school, and he usually had on his Confederate flag on the back levi jacket. This was in Southern California however, and in all of his years in high school, not one person said a single thing about it. I guess it’s different now, or in the South or both.
Posted by Bobby at 5:00 PM on August 15
funny in my school in Brooklyn, NY we have the New Black Panther party that regulary meets with the rector of the college imagine a Confederate group?
Posted by at 5:18 PM on August 15
I’m watching Lynard Skynard on youtube singing ‘Freebird’.
The backdrop is a huge Confederate flag. The year was 1979. No one would have dared protest then.
These anti-flag groups are acting on the timidness of some contemporary whites to not stand up and fight back.
Posted by at 5:44 PM on August 15
I love the South. I love the Cause. I love the Confederate flags. I have ancestors who fought for the Confederacy in the War of Northern Aggression. I love my Mississippi home. I think the flack over the flag is silly. But that is neither here nor there. A school has a right to set its own standards for dress.
The right to free speech was never meant for people to say whatever they want whenever they want and for what they say to be acceptable. The purpose was to allow people the freedom to criticize their government without fear. The right to free speech doesn’t mean the right to an audience. Schoolchildren do not have rights. If they did, no one could make them go to school. I’m sick of spoiled kids suing for their “rights”.
Posted by middle-aged magnolia at 3:55 PM on August 16
It’s always funny how white racial and cultural symbols are “divisive” while non-white racial symbols are simply an expression of pride. Blacks walk the halls of schools with African garb, Malcolm X caps and shirts and clothing celebrating so called “civil rights” figures. White students are expected to shut up and accept it lest they be labeled as bigots. I’ve never heard of any schools expelling black students who wear their racial attitudes on their shirt sleeve.
Whites are behind enemy lines in America.
Posted by Dave at 7:52 PM on August 16
Again, this is why I’m in favor of school uniforms. It gets students out of the business of making statements, and back to the job of learning. And it stops school administrators from making decisions about which ideas are acceptable.
Posted by at 2:04 PM on August 18
Every political and or religious symbol is offensive to some regardless of the reasoning. Only the symbols of Christianity, and/or the White race are more offensive than others i.e. nativity scenes, the Saint Andrews cross, the shamrock etc. etc.
Posted by mkm at 7:45 PM on August 18
Did you hear the one about the well girthed lady who loved wearing her Malcolm X t-shirt ? Seems everywhere she went there was a helicopter trying to land on her .
Posted by at 2:43 PM on August 19