The Tennesse school district decision to restrict the display of the American Flag

Several reports in the media have published articles about a school district banning the American flag from their campus. This is taking political correctness to the extreme. The flag is a symbol of our country and what it has gone through since the beginning. This not only violates our right to freedom of expression granted in the Constitution it is un-American though the school feels otherwise. The excuse given for such action is they do not want to offend anyone if the flag continues to be displayed on their school campus. This is our national flag and individuals or groups should never be restricted from displaying it to show their patriotism. There are even reports that students who violate this ban will be expelled from school. One question about this decision is who is in charge of this school district and what prompted them to make such a decision. Sometimes a single issue can impact voter decisions and if or when these individuals are up for election the voters should seriously decide if they want to keep them in their positions. If they are not elected then those who make the decisions about the positions individuals have who have contributed to this decision should seriously think about replacing them. I normally do not advocate getting rid of individuals in positions of authority but the decision made in this case is the exception.

This action goes even further from some reports that students who violate this ban will be expelled from school. School officials have made a statement that students can express themselves in other ways and they feel the ban is not an attack on the personal freedoms we have under the Constitution which in fact it is. Individuals who have served in the military have fought for the rights we have under the Constitution and some have made the ultimate sacrifice. This kind of action is a slap in the face to all individuals who have served in the military and are serving today.

Individuals who are offended by the display of our national flag let them be offended. They are in America and this is the symbol of the freedoms we have and should be proudly display in every location in this school district and across the country. This action is the last straw. We as Americans and especially the parents and students of this school district need to stand up and tell them in no uncertain terms that this action will not be tolerated.

There are crazy decisions made by individuals in a position of authority which defies common sense and this is one of them. Our national flag is proudly flown by Americans across the country and government facilities. School districts are a public entity and no individual in a position of authority has the right to make a decision of this nature. To put it bluntly school administration is responsible for the function of the school not making decisions of this nature which is outside their assigned responsibilities. The decision to ban letting the flag be displayed whether it is on an individual, waving it or being displayed on vehicles should be reversed immediately. This is not the first time our freedom of expression has been under attack but this is the last straw. Attacks on our freedom of expression must stop now.

This kind of attack on our flag should be a wakeup call for the rest of us. We as citizens must soundly respond that this kind of arbitrary decision will not be tolerated. Too many individuals are making decisions which impact the rights we have under the Constitution. This includes Congress and the Executive Departments. There will be a wakeup call for Congress if we choose the right individuals to return or select new individuals to serve in Congress. There are good individuals now serving us but several need to be replaced from both political parties who think of their party instead of the country and the Constitution. One thing about electing individuals we should not let them get away with not honoring their promises they make when they run for election or re-election. We must keep the pressure on them.

Keeping the pressure on those serving us is easier for the House of Representatives as they are elected every two years. The Senate is another story as 1/3 of the Senate is elected or

reelected every two years but keeping the pressure on them should be no different. Regardless of political affiliation if the individuals that are up for election represent us we need to keep the pressure on them to honor the Constitution. Both legislative bodies need to honor the Constitution and make the right decisions for the country. The banning of the American flag in this school district in Tennessee requires action by Congress to ensure the display of the symbol of our country is not restricted. Some states now have such legislative actions but it needs to be in place across the country.