jaxvid, you went to the wrong place to look for things that have already been done. That page just lists cases being reviewed by the heritage committee. They have to decide which cases have the most merit as far as lawsuits go. The SCV doesn't have the money or manpower to fight every heritage violation that comes down the pike. Having said that, they along with the SLRC, have done more than any other organizations to help people and to defend the flag. A couple of higher profile cases included the DuPont 7 case from about 10 years ago and the Castorina case in 2002. I've listed
some cases from the last few years below. There are cases being fought all over every year, but a lot of them don't get much press. Of course, I wouldn't expect them to.
Yeah, I guess more could be done by them, just as more could be done by people here or at AmRen or any other group you or I might support. The SCV/SLRC have a fraction of the number of people who could put boots on the ground as the enemy. The enemy has most of the courts, millions of dollars, and tons of lazy supporters who have nothing else to do but protest. Yeah, there is way too little action on all fronts, but at least these groups are fighting with what they have.
<h3>
THANKS TO SLRC, SCV CAMP CAN APPLY FOR PARADE PERMIT "¦ IF THERE'S A PARADE, THAT IS
</h3>
PRINCETON, NC â€" After
intervention by the SLRC, the town of Princeton in Johnston County,
North Carolina, has provided a local Sons of Confederate Veterans camp
with a permit form for participation in its annual Veterans' Day parade,
but rumor now has it that the town is considering canceling the parade
altogether rather than allow the camp to participate.
The
Smithfield Light Infantry (SCV Camp 1466) contacted the SLRC after town
officials initially refused to issue it an application to march in the
parade and man a booth during the day's festivities. Last Friday SLRC
atty. Kirk Lyons contacted the town's attorney and pointed out to him
that the town had no basis in law for declining even to let the SCV
complete an application. Today the camp's commander notified the SLRC
that the application had been received, but added he had heard
unofficially that parade organizers were considering calling off the
event entirely. A decision is expected later this week.
The town
originally had declined to issue the application on grounds that the
parade was to honor "just 20th and 21st century veterans"Â. Camp 1466
has three Vietnam War veterans in its membership and had pointed out
that under federal law, Veterans' Day is supposed to recognize all U.S.
veterans, including Confederates.
In 2000, under similar
circumstances, the SLRC compelled the town of Crisfield, Maryland, to
allow an SCV unit to participate in a local parade.
PANEL OF JUDGES TO RULE ON HARDWICK RESTRAINING ORDER
RICHMOND,
VA â€" A three-judge panel is in the process of reviewing the temporary
restraining order (TRO) sought by the SLRC in the case of Candice
Hardwick versus Latta High School and expected to announce shortly
whether the matter will be admitted to the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals for oral arguments.
Meanwhile the case itself, which has
been developing for the past three years, is scheduled to be heard by
the Fourth Circuit during its current term, though attorneys for the
defendants have still not responded to the SLRC's discovery motions.
SLRC attorney Kirk Lyons has said that if necessary he will file a
motion with the court to compel the defendants to respond.
The
TRO, if granted by the Court, would have the effect of immediately
suspending Latta High School's ban on Confederate symbols while the case
moves forward.
RINGGOLD, Ga. â€" The mayor and council of Ringgold are being sued by a
Southern heritage group because the city removed the Confederate battle
flag from the Ringgold Depot.
The lawsuit was filed Friday by the Sons of Confederate Veterans,
Georgia Division and the Col. Joseph T. McConnell camp of the group.
Assisting is the Southern Legal Resource Center based in Black Mountain,
N.C.
"It is not lost on Southerners who are keenly aware that suddenly
everyone is allowed to be diverse except for them,"Â Roger W. McCredie,
executive director of the Southern Legal Resource Center (SLRC), said
from the Catoosa County Courthouse steps.
Wearing a bow tie with a Confederate flag pattern, Mr. McCredie said
the SLRC is the only legal organization that specializes in cases
involving Southern culture and heritage.
The local group of the Sons of Confederate Veterans has protested for
three years after city officials on a 3-2 vote in March 2005 agreed to
take down the battle flag in the wake of objections by some local black
residents.
The familiar battle flag was replaced with the regimental flag of
Confederate Gen. Patrick Cleburne, whose troops held off Union soldiers
at Ringgold Gap in late 1863, allowing troops from the South to withdraw
toward Dalton. The battle that resulted in damage to the historic
depot, which is now a history museum.
Ringgold City Manager Dan Wright said on Friday that city officials had not yet seen the lawsuit.
Mr. McCredie said the SLRC was formed to protect people who were
being fired from jobs, punished at school, "discriminated against and
worse, simply for doing nothing more than expressing their own
heritage."Â
Kirk D. Lyons, chief trial counsel of the SLRC, said the regimental
flag was "a unit flag with limited significance,"Â is unrecognizable to
most and thus "is not an appropriate flag to memorialize Confederate
soldiers."Â
He noted the lawsuit does not seek punitive damages, but asks that
the battle flag be returned to the pole and that defendants pay court
and attorneys' fees.
"We believe (the battle flag) is an integral part of a memorial aspect of the depot,"Â Mr. Lyons said.
BATTLE RENEWS IN RINGGOLD CASE AS DEPOSITIONS BEGIN
RINGGOLD, GA â€" The
legal battle over removal of a Confederate Battle Flag from a memorial
display at Historic Ringgold Depot resumed Wednesday and Thursday as
attorneys for both sides deposed witnesses in the local SCV camp's
lawsuit against the City.
On Wednesday, testimony was received from
architect Ross Andrews, who designed the memorial display. Andrews
said his plans, as approved by City Council, "included only one
permanent flag "¦ for the South â€" the Confederate Battle Flag." (The
Battle Flag was in integral part of the memorial when it was completed
and dedicated, but was removed shortly thereafter, when local Black
leaders objected and threatened a boycott if it were not removed.)
On Thursday, depositions were taken from
Ringgold City Manager Dan Wright, Mayor Joe Barger, and City Councilman
O. C. Adcock, all of whom were serving at the time of the flag's
removal. Also deposed were Paul Croft and Arthur Henderson,
representatives of the local Black community. According to reports,
Henderson told City Council at the time that continued flying of the
Battle Flag at the Depot would be "political suicide"Â for Council
members.
Depositions were conducted by atty.
Steven Farrow, representing the defendants, and SLRC affiliate attorney
and local counsel Martin K. O'Toole, of Marietta, for the plaintiffs,
who are the Ringgold SCV camp and the SCV's Georgia Division. SLRC Chief
Trial Counsel Kirk D. Lyons also attended.
Current Cases
</font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
The Fight to Preserve Confederate
Southern Heritage in the Hays C.I.S.D </font></font>
</font>
</font>
The Hays Consolidated
Independent School District Declares War on Southern Confederate Heritage</font>
By Eric Patterson</font></font>
For some 30 years the students and
community of the Hays Consolidated Independent School District had
cheered on the Rebels of Jack C. Hays High School, while proudly waving
the only spirit flag we've ever had - the Confederate battle flag.
</font>
</font>
Until certain new school board members and district officials made it
the focus of controversy, our spirit flag had no history of unrest or
violence associated with it. In fact, Black students, Hispanic students,
as well as White students used the flag enthusiastically as our school
spirit flag. One Black student would even regularly dress with a
flag bandanna and flag cape, running across the campus between classes
on what used to be called spirit day - the day of a Rebel varsity
football game. Many fans even credit the enthusiasm and spirit
that this flag stirred with helping the Rebels win in close games.
Rebel fans would stand up and cheer to Dixie, the school fight song,
filling the team with energy and drive that often gave them a
competitive edge. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
Well, things have since changed. In spite of the peaceful existence
of our spirit flag in this community, men with a personal ax to grind
came on the scene. School board president
Tim Brace, (past)
superintendent of schools
Michael Hinojosa (now in Spring,
Texas), and their willing field agent, high school principal
Carl
Hall, have embarked on a campaign to rid the school district of all
vestiges of school tradition that use Confederate symbolism.</font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
What follows are some examples of the actions
and attitudes of these men:</font>
</font>
</font>
</font><ul>
[*]After a Rebel home game, and while a member of the school board,
Mr. Brace, angrily and unilaterally announced to my wife that "your
[30+ year] tradition
[that includes enthusiastic and peaceful
use of the Confederate battle flag] doesn't matter. That flag is
gone." So much for open minded, unbiased representation.
[*]During correspondence by e-mail I recommended to Mr. Brace that
the students be allowed (even encouraged) to hear both sides of the
"flag issue" by assigning students in debate class to tackle the
matter with facts and reasoned argument, rather than hype and
irrational emotion. After all, where better than a school for
truth and understanding to be sought? With no debate, Mr. Brace
turned this idea down.
[*]In this same series of e-mail notes Mr. Brace asked about being
sensitive to those who might be offended at the use of the flag.
When I countered with the question of the vast majority of us who
wanted to keep the flag being just as offended as their school
tradition or their Confederate heritage and ancestry is impugned, he
angrily closed further communications.
[*]As a member of the community, a 1974 graduate of Jack C. Hays High
School, and a parent of two sons in the school district, I followed
all of the requirements to be placed on the school board agenda to
discuss the issue of the use of the Confederate battle flag as the
school spirit flag. Mr. Hinojosa called me at work and angrily
informed me that I "did not run the board meetings," that he and Mr.
Brace did. I was only allowed to speak during the open forum
time. Of course this meant that nothing I said would be on
record and that school board members would not have to address
anything I said.
[*]When asked by a newspaper reporter if there would be a vote
concerning the continued use of the battle flag as the spirit flag of
Hays High School, Mr. Brace (now school board president) said that it
was unlikely. "If you had a vote in the 1950s, would they
[parents and students] have done away with segregation?", said
Brace. What a nice view of his own constituency!
[*]School board president Tim Brace directed that a diverse task
force of community members be formed to study the issue of the
Confederate battle flag, (an issue he was instrumental in creating).
However, in order to strip any authority away from this group, he
emphatically dictated that we were only to report back with "options,"
not "recommendations." Well, the consensus of the task force was
to treat the long standing tradition of our spirit flag and the
heritage of descendants of Confederates with respect, whatever the
final decision. All on the task force thought it wrong that the
heritage of many students was not only ignored, but treated with
dishonor. Among the consensus findings was to retire the old spirit
flag with honor, if so decided, to a display case in the high school,
stress teaching the whole picture of our Confederate history, and to
regularly recognize our Confederate heritage, just as we recognize
Cinco de Mayo and Black History Month. These and other
reasonable and conciliatory findings have all been ignored by school
district decision makers.
[*]Without student or community consent, these school district
officials forced the students to choose a replacement spirit flag.
[*]As the students had to choose a replacement spirit flag, my oldest
son decided to propose the use of the First National flag of the
Confederacy with a white
"H" (for Hays) in the middle of the
circle of stars. Surely, since this is one of the famed "Six
Flags
Over Texas" that flies on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol
building, and since most people don't even know what this flag is,
there would be no problem. And, after all, we are the Hays
Rebels and our fight song is Dixie. This flag would keep the overall
theme of Hays Rebel tradition intact and be a good compromise.
Well, since my son was pulling the National Honor Society float in the
homecoming parade, he decided to show his entry off by flying it from
the bed of his pickup. Before the parade started, an official
approached him and told him to either take the flag off of his truck
or be pulled from the parade. After challenging this by
reminding the person that this was not the battle flag, she produced
written parade rules that stated all Confederate flags were
prohibited, not just the battle flag. At this point it became
obvious that the battle flag was not the only target in this witch
hunt; all visible symbols of our Confederate history and heritage were
in these people's sights. <br align="left">
[*]After assurances from the school board that students would still
be allowed to wear clothing that depicted the battle flag and to have
it on their vehicles, the principal of the high school began a
campaign of harassing students for wearing the flag on their clothing.
The rational was that if the flag were not part of the clothing
itself, it was not allowed. We obviously missed the fine print!
And of all places, this harassment began to take place at football pep
rallies where the flag was still the spirit flag in the hearts and
minds of the students.
[*]The company that is contracted to sell senior class rings normally
offers the Confederate battle flag as a design option - except in the
catalog allowed to be viewed by Hays students. The company is
prohibited by the Hays school administration from allowing students to
order their rings with a Confederate battle flag on it. Under
their contract the vendor cannot sell a ring with a battle flag on it
to any Hays parent or student, even in a private agreement at their
business office. The company states that if students did not attend
Jack C. Hays High School, they would be free to include the flag as
part of the ring design. Students who desire the flag as part of
their ring design must find their own supplier of class rings.
[*]Evidently using the University Interscholastic League (the public
school organization that oversees extracurricular
activities in Texas) as cover, the battle flag was taken away from
Rebel fans because of alleged complaints that the flags blocked
people's view of the game. </font>
</font>[/list]
</font>
</font>
</font>
Yet at no time were Hays Rebel fans
confronted with these supposed complaints so that the situation could be
handled in an open and honest manner. Nor did the school district
produce records of these alleged complaints when asked to do so later.
Besides, the 3' x 5' flags were usually tied to the top railing of the
stands so that they could be proudly seen waving in the breeze
throughout the game. Given that a spirit flag serves much the same
purpose as a "battle flag," this was fitting! With the exception
of the student section, smaller 12" x 17" versions of the flag were
typically used in the seats. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
Not being able to cite a record of injury by the sticks used for the
flags, or student or community unrest over the use of the flag, our
school district administration had to come up with another way to get
those Confederate battle flags out of sight. The U.I.L. and
overblown (if not outright contrived) complaints were finally used.
Not only that, but now the school district could use the "Nuremberg
defense" that they were only following orders as they denied fans
entrance to the games if they carried a flag. (The federal
district judge assigned to the lawsuit that soon followed used similar
reasoning as he expressed sympathy for the school district.) </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
To add insult to injury, our own high school principal, Carl Hall,
was one of the U.I.L. committee members who voted in favor of the ban,
even though our school board had previously stated that they had no
intention of restricting the fan's right to bring flags into the stands
at games. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
The bottom line is that only Rebel fans routinely brought spirit
flags to football games in District 25 AAAAA of the U.I.L., proudly and
enthusiastically waving them as the band played Dixie. Fans from
no other school in the district were affected by this ban on flags, as
only rarely did fans of the other teams have a single flag in their
stands. The U.I.L at the state level has no ban on flags in the stands.
Given the record of our own school district administration, it was
obvious that Rebel fans and their Confederate battle flags were the real
targets. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
After the events of 9-11 the U.I.L. made an exception for U.S. flags.
While commendable as a patriotic gesture, this was in direct opposition
of their supposed concern for the view of fans as 3' x 5' American flags
were allowed into the game, but 12" x 17" battle flags were not.
This open, official censorship of our First Amendment freedoms, backed
with a clear history of related discrimination, was the primary grounds
for filing our lawsuit against these people. Mr. H. K. Edgerton
was among those flag carrying Rebel fans denied entrance to the game
that night and joined us in the suit. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
There are many other examples I and
others could cite, but these show what we and other proud Southerners
all across the South are up against. At no time have these people
been open to true discussion, genuine community input, or even
compromise. It is as though the "Reconstruction" of the South is
carried on by a few self-appointed guardians of political correctness,
eradicating symbols of our Confederate past from everywhere but back
rooms in museums and derogatory depictions of Southern history.
</font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
I, my wife Phyllis, Mr. H. K. Edgerton, Mr. Lynn Foster, and Mr. H.
W. Irby filed suit, with the help of the Southern Legal Resource Center
and Mr. Kirk Lyons, against individuals of the Hays Consolidated
Independent School District and the president of the local U.I.L.
Executive Committee. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
We are honored that H.K.'s last stop on his 1500+ mile March Across
Dixie is the Hays Consolidated Independent School District in Hays
County, Texas. By supporting him on his March Across Dixie, you
will be helping in the fight to preserve what is left of our Southern
heritage from bigoted attacks such as those we are experiencing here in
Hays County. </font>
</font>
</font>
</font>
Lawsuit Update: The District 25 AAAAA U.I.L. reinstituted
their ban on all flags, removing the exemption for the U.S. flag (i.e.,
all flags are again banned). In doing so, they have
technically
ceased to discriminate between one symbol of free expression and another
in the setting of school sports events. As a result, the major
allegation of our suit was rectified and the case has ended. While
this is obviously not how we would have preferred the case to be
settled, the U.I.L. was forced to end this particular manner of blatant
discrimination.</font>
Federal judge sides with S.C. district in Confederate-flag case
</font>
By The Associated Press
09.17.09
</font>
</font></font></font>
COLUMBIA,
S.C. â€" A South Carolina teen who sued a school district over the right
to wear Confederate-themed clothing to school will appeal a federal
judge's ruling that sided with the district, her attorney said
yesterday.</font></font></font>
"This
is an immanently appealable decision," said Kirk Lyons, an attorney for
the Southern Legal Resource Center based in North Carolina. "I think we
can get this reversed" in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.</font></font></font>
In
2006, Lyons' group filed a federal lawsuit against the Latta School
District on behalf of Candice Hardwick, then a 15-year-old high school
sophomore.</font></font></font>
Hardwick's
attorneys argued that the teen â€" who was forced to change clothes, turn
shirts inside-out and was suspended twice for Confederate-themed
clothing in middle school â€" felt that a ban on wearing the Confederate
emblem violated her right to free speech.</font></font></font>
That
notion was tossed out last week by a federal judge, who ruled that
Hardwick's attorneys didn't have enough evidence to succeed with their
case.</font></font></font>
In
his 33-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Terry Wooten wrote that
district officials, fearing possible disruptions if Confederate-themed
clothing were allowed in the racially diverse schools, acted reasonably
in banning such items.</font></font></font>
"The
defendants possessed substantial facts which reasonably supported a
forecast that Confederate flag clothing would likely disrupt the
educational environment of the schools within the Latta School
District," Wooten wrote.</font></font></font>
The
SLRC had argued that a 2002 decision from the 6th Circuit involving a
Kentucky high school student was central to Hardwick's situation.</font></font></font>
In
1997, Madison Central High School student Timothy Castorina sued after
he was suspended for wearing a T-shirt with a Confederate flag. A
federal judge tossed out the case, saying T-shirts aren't a form of free
speech, but an appeals court overturned that decision, and the school
settled.</font></font></font>
Hardwick's
family has said the teen's desire to show Confederate pride by sporting
T-shirts, belt buckles and cell-phone covers bearing the red flag
crisscrossed with blue stripes and white stars is a family thing.</font></font></font>
When
Hardwick kicked off the last week of school in May 2006 by staging a
protest march into the high school, her father said two of his
great-great grandfathers had been Confederate veterans â€" including one
who was wounded at Gettysburg.</font></font></font>
Hardwick
left Latta High School her senior year and was home-schooled, Lyons
said. Now, she is living in Clemson, doing modeling jobs, he said.</font></font></font>
While
some regard the Confederate flag as a symbol of heritage, others
complain it is a racially charged reminder of a past the South should
move beyond.</font></font></font>
John
Kirby, superintendent for the Latta School District, said the symbol
could be disruptive in his schools, which were segregated until the
1970s and held separate proms for blacks and whites until the mid 1980s.
A decade later, two white students were expelled from Latta High School
after they were charged with burning down black churches in the area.</font></font></font>
"The
decision reaffirms the right of our community to have an expectation of
safe schools," Kirby said. "We feel like this decision also supports
the duty of our local school board to develop appropriate policy, to
demand a safe school environment."</font></font></font>
The
ruling is similar to one last month, when a federal judge ruled a
Tennessee school's ban on Confederate clothing was a reasonable attempt
to prevent disruptions. Tommy Defoe, the student who sued that district,
has appealed.</font></font></font>
The
U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that students' free-speech rights don't
end at the schoolhouse door. But it has not heard a case specifically on
whether a student may wear Confederate symbols to school. Lyons said
he'd be glad to argue the first.</font></font></font>
"This
would be a good case to take to the Supreme Court," Lyons said. "If the
courts allow this to stand, then it is proof that we are a system of
gulags that they call public schools."</font></font></font>
Boyle County Schools Rescinds
Ban on Clothing Displaying Confederate Flag</font>
by Gary Moyers - Advocate Staff Writer</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Administrators at Boyle County schools have been
forced to work without dress code guidelines recently.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
Responding to a challenge from some students and
the Sons of Confederate Veterans, the district has rescinded a ban on
clothing and emblems displaying the Confederate flag.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
The district's entire dress code is now under
review for next year.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"We have changed the interpretation of our dress
code, and we're going to review the entire policy starting in June,"
said Boyle Superintendent Pam Rogers.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
A landmark decision by a federal appeals court in
2001, Castorina v. Madison County schools, is the basis for Boyle
County's decision.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
A group of students sued the Madison County school
system in 1997 after they were suspended for wearing T-shirts bearing
the Confederate flag. One student eventually won the suit after
appeals, and the court system ruled that barring the flag is an
infringement on the First Amendment right to free speech.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"The questions arose at Boyle Middle School when
some students wore emblems and shirts with the flag displayed," said
Rogers. "Prior to that, it had been our policy that any emblem or
apparel deemed to be disruptive to the educational process was not
allowed, and we had interpreted the Confederate flag to be one of those
emblems.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"It was brought to our attention recently that
this went against the Castorina ruling," she said. "We consulted
our board attorney as well as attorneys for the Kentucky School Boards
Association, the Department of Education, and the Kentucky Association
of School Administrators Association, and they recommended we change our
implementation of our current policy and review the current policy
altogether."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Rogers said under the previous policy students who
wore the Confederate flag, either as apparel or otherwise, were asked to
change or remove the emblem.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"We weren't heavy-handed about it," said Rogers.
"The matters were dealt with quietly, and for the most part, students
reacted quietly. We tried to handle any incidents with respect."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Staff, school board members concerned about the
ruling</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Members of the staff and school board have
expressed concern about the ruling, Rogers said.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"There is concern from both the staff and the
board members that this could be disruptive to the educational process,"
said Rogers. "We will, of course, have to see what effect this has once
the new policy is implemented."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
Board member Ed Sleet, the only African-American
on the board, said he has reservations about the decision but agrees the
district must abide by the court ruling.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"As an African-American, I understand the emotions
this symbol brings out," said Sleet. "I am concerned that since we
have a small minority population in Boyle County this decision could be
taken the wrong way. I worry about the feelings it may provoke."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Rogers said changes in school policy require first
and second readings, and public input will be solicited before changes
are made.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"There will be an opportunity for the public to
voice opinions and to give input," she said. "We plan to address
this issue at our June (19) meeting. We hope to have the policy in
place by August, before our students return."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
Rogers said board attorney William Barnett is
currently working with state officials to draft a workable dress code
for Boyle County.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Rogers said the Castorina court decision does
leave some leeway for school systems should problems arise.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
"Essentially, we tried to be proactive with our
original dress code, but the court decision has forced systems to be
reactive," she said. "In other words, emblems and clothing may not
be banned until after it has been proven to be disruptive or offensive,
not before. If the Confederate flag issue causes disruption or
offense, then, as we read the decision, systems have the option to take
steps at that point."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
Sleet said it seems that the court has ruled
trouble must occur before something can be banned.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"The big problem is the decision to ban something
can only come after a problem has occurred," he said. "School systems
can't stop the problem beforehand."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
SCV cautions students about disruptive,
offensive behavior</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
In a press release, the SCV cautioned students
against disruptive and offensive behavior. </font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
"Many people have worked very long and very hard,
at great cost, to bring this court decision to reality," said Don
Shelton, spokesman for the SCV. "It is not a license for students
to act irresponsibly. The Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol
honoring veterans and the South. If you misuse that symbol by
disrupting school, antagonizing other students, or by juxtaposing it
with obscene or disrespectful language or symbols, the school has every
right to discipline you, and we will support them in doing so."</font></font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
</font></font>
The SCV said it plans to continue to work in
school systems where a ban on the Confederate flag is in place.</font></font></font>
</font></font>
"We don't yet know how many school systems still
have illegal bans on Confederate flags, but since Castorina we've opened
files on 16 situations, including these seven," said Shelton. He
was referring to seven systems in the state, including Boyle and
Jessamine counties, who have changed their dress codes to meet the new
regulations. "Eventually, though, we will make sure that all
Kentucky school systems are complying with the mandate handed down by
the Federal 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. In most cases, such as
Jessamine and Boyle counties, the school systems have been responsive
and cooperative in working with us to review the legal materials in
light of the schools' policies and practices, and we appreciate the time
and effort they took to do so."</font></font></font>
Caldwell Co., NC School Victory</font></span></font>
Today the Superintendent of schools for
Caldwell County issued a letter declaring that as of Monday the students
of South Caldwell High School will again be allowed to wear their
Confederate clothing.
Thanks to all of you who contacted the
officials there. The commander of the soon to be chartered camp there,
Tim Miller, did a fine job on the ground along with members of several
other camps in the
area. The SLRC jumped in right away and I
believe the SLRC materially provided the information needed to sway the
Superintendent to surrender.
The Superintendent's capitulation overrides the
principal of the school - the parents will now seek to rid themselves
of that principal.
Jim Pierce
Col. Sam Tate Camp #836
Morganton, NC</font></font>
Edited by: Colonel_Reb 
