Students sent home from school for wearing American flag t-shirts on May 5

[ariscus99 1]

What a bunch of garbage, since when is it not okay to be a patriotic American?

Administrators at a California high school sent five students home on Wednesday after they refused to remove their American flag T-shirts and bandannas -- garments the school officials deemed "incendiary" on Cinco de mayo.

The five teens were sitting at a table outside Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Calif., on Wednesday morning when Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez asked two of them to remove their American flag bandannas, the Morgan Hill Times reported. The boys told the newspaper they complied, but were asked to accompany Rodriguez to the principal's office.

The five students -- Daniel Galli, Austin Carvalho, Matt Dariano, Dominic Maciel and Clayton Howard -- were then told they must turn their T-shirts inside-out or be sent home, though it would not be considered a suspension. Rodriguez told the students he did not want any fights to break out between Mexican-American students celebrating their heritage and those wearing American flags.

"They said we were starting a fight," Dariano told the newspaper. "We were fuel to the fire."

The boys told Rodriguez and Principal Nick Boden that turning their shirts inside-out was disrespectful, so their parents decided to take them home, the newspaper reports.

[pattygreen 5]

On this day in 1862, in a town called Puebla, a ragtag Mexican army defeated an invading French army that was better equipped and twice as big.

France eventually won the war and went on to rule the country for a few years, but the unlikely defeat at the so-called Battle of Puebla made it into the history books as Cinco de mayo.< /p>

It was an underdog victory — no more, no less.

U.S. Latinos in the late 1960s would later cite it, if not cling to it, in their fight for equal rights as the movement really put Cinco de Mayo on America’s radar, mostly in the Southwest.

Over the years, it would gradually become commercialized (not unlike the Super Bowl), with its countless advertisements of beer mixed in with stereotypical sombreros and mustaches resembling Pancho Villa’s. (For the record, even Pancho Villa wouldn’t be born until 1878).

Often, Cinco de Mayo is confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is Sept. 16, 1810.

That’s the day Mexico began its pursuit for independence from Spain — much like the United States declared its own independence on July 4, 1776.

But the real confusion these days surrounding Cinco de Mayo is whether it’s an actual Mexican holiday — or an excuse for everybody to just hoist a few Mexican imports like Corona and Dos XX and tune out the rest of the world.

It’s true that Cinco de Mayo is barely recognized or celebrated in Mexico, except perhaps in Puebla, the old battle site an hour west of Mexico City.

But in California and other states in the Southwest, the holiday has been going strong, mostly among Mexicans who want to Celebrate their heritage or among Americans who want to jump on the party bandwagon.

Hence, it’s referred to by many in the drinking circles as Drinko de Mayo — not too far off from the kind of excitement associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

“We’re going to have $3.95 margaritas instead of the usual $6,” said Gabe Lozano, manager of El Ranchito, a Mexican restaurant in Newport Beach.

And Dos XX beers are going for $4, he said.

Asked if he knew anything about the history of the holiday, Lozano said he didn’t but then added:

“It’s a reason to Celebrate, ” he said. “We cater to our crowd.”

And that crowd is mostly white middle class, often of the surfer persuasion — although Jose Vazquez will be in the back, cooking the meals.

Vazquez lives on Costa Mesa’s Westside, and earlier Tuesday he said he wasn’t going to be celebrating Cinco de Mayo because he was going to be working at the restaurant.

And yet even Vazquez, admittedly, couldn’t tell you much about the history of the holiday, although he did know that Lazaro Cardenas, the Mexican president in the 1930s, hailed from his home Mexican state of Michoacan.

Nor could Gabriela Lopez, 23, an Estancia High School graduate, tell you the particulars of Cinco de Mayo.

“I used to go clubbing with my friends,” she said as she sat behind the counter of El Farito, a meat market on Costa Mesa’s Westside. “But now I don’t do anything. I’m not sure what it means, to be honest, and my parents came from Mexico.”

And that’s OK.

Very many Americans would be hard pressed to tell you about the particulars of, say, the American Revolution or the battle at Valley Forge. You either like history or you don’t.

But if you like beer, you can bet that quite a few Mexican restaurants around town will have something in store for you to celebrate today, Lozano said.

I say this so-called holiday should be celebrated by those who wish to celebrate it in their own homes. It is not an American Holiday and therefor should be left out of the schools. Kids wearing American flag shirts should be proud to do so, and them being asked to take them off was inappropriate.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I don't think celebrating Cinco de mayo is any different than wearing green on and celebrating St. Patrick's Day - which most kids do at all grades in school. My husband was a history teacher and he gave kids an extra point for wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. It was a fun thing and the kids enjoyed it. Just like wearing red on Valentine's Day and having parties in elementary school where you make a valentine box and exchange valentines. Neither of those days are american holidays or have anything to do with american history, but I support them being celebrated in schools, if those choose to.

[pattygreen 5]

I don't think celebrating Cinco de mayo is any different than wearing green on and celebrating St. Patrick's Day - which most kids do at all grades in school. My husband was a history teacher and he gave kids an extra point for wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. It was a fun thing and the kids enjoyed it. Just like wearing red on Valentine's Day and having parties in elementary school where you make a valentine box and exchange valentines. Neither of those days are american holidays or have anything to do with american history, but I support them being celebrated in schools, if those choose to.

And when you wore green on St. Patricks day, did the kids who wore American flags on the same day get reprimanded and sent home or their flags ripped off their cars, and did fights break out because American flags were worn on Valentines day along with the parties? The point is that these Mexican kids were not celebrating being Mexican-Americans, they were celebrating being Mexicans. The American flags offended them. I say if you can't include the American Flag in your celbration, then take your Mexican celebration back to Mexico and have it there. There should NEVER be an occasion here in America where the flag offends anyone living here.

The teachers and school administrators missed a great opportunity to teach their teenage students a great lesson about America. That all people living here came from many different countries and together, we make this a great nation of AMERICANS. They should have told the Mexicans that attended the school that those who were wearing American Flags on their T-shirts were welcome and that if they had a problem with the American symbol of the flag, that they would not be allowed to Celebrate their countries custom. Not the other way around.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

I say this so-called holiday should be celebrated by those who wish to Celebrate it in their own homes. It is not an American Holiday and therefor should be left out of the schools. Kids wearing American flag shirts should be proud to do so, and them being asked to take them off was inappropriate.

Your point was that Cinco de mayo isn't an American holiday and should be left out of schools. Then so should St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day. They are not American holidays. So you should support them being taken out of schools and celebrated in their own homes. I guess you would be okay with latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts on Columbus Day or Independence Day.

[pattygreen 5]

I say this so-called holiday should be celebrated by those who wish to Celebrate it in their own homes. It is not an American Holiday and therefor should be left out of the schools. Kids wearing American flag shirts should be proud to do so, and them being asked to take them off was inappropriate.

Your point was that Cinco de mayo isn't an American holiday and should be left out of schools. Then so should St. Patrick's Day and Valentine's Day. They are not American holidays. So you should support them being taken out of schools and celebrated in their own homes. I guess you would be okay with latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts on Columbus Day or Independence Day.

I should have been more specific for you. "It should be left out of school if it's going to cause fights and trouble."

BTW, Your last sentence I am in support of. I do not advocate silencing free speech. Anyone can be allowed to wear anything they want, whenever they want. It may be morally wrong to do so, or it may be offensive to others and be lacking in sensitivity, but to sensor it would be wrong also.

[SuzanneG 1]

"I guess you would be okay with latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts on Columbus Day or Independence Day. "

Honestly, no one would care or say anything if this were the situation. America has become a country of compromise and we cater to everyone except our own citizens.

[pattygreen 5]

"I guess you would be okay with latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts on Columbus Day or Independence Day. "

Honestly, no one would care or say anything if this were the situation. America has become a country of compromise and we cater to everyone except our own citizens.

Man, is that ever true!

We cater to every faith as well, except the faith of our Father's. Nothing can be said against any faith except Christianity here. Any putdown of Christianity is acceptable, but dare to say anything about any other faith, and you're in deep water!

[ariscus99 1]

"I guess you would be okay with latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts on Columbus Day or Independence Day. "

Honestly, no one would care or say anything if this were the situation. America has become a country of compromise and we cater to everyone except our own citizens.

But had a white vice-principal sent those latino students wearing mexican flag tee shirts home, the ACLU would be all over that school, and this would be the top news story on every media outlet except Fox.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Man, is that ever true!

We cater to every faith as well, except the faith of our Father's. Nothing can be said against any faith except Christianity here. Any putdown of Christianity is acceptable, but dare to say anything about any other faith, and you're in deep water!

We don't cater to every faith. We allow every faith an equal opportunity to be practiced. The only problem people have with christianity is when the religious right tries to shove it down people's throats. Not satisfied to have the freedom to practice their religion in their homes and places of worship and private places, they want to endorse it by having it in our tax-payer funded places.

It is irrelevant who or what the founding fathers were. They could not have envisioned a country where we had so many different ethnicities and religions. But what they did want is a country where the government neither established nor endorsed a religion. We might have more christians in this nation than any other religion but that does not mean that it should be a nationally endorsed religion and promoted in public places. There already are symbols of christian religion in public places and in our government, but it is never enough for the zealous religious right.

[pattygreen 5]

We don't cater to every faith. We allow every faith an equal opportunity to be practiced. The only problem people have with christianity is when the religious right tries to shove it down people's throats. Not satisfied to have the freedom to practice their religion in their homes and places of worship and private places, they want to endorse it by having it in our tax-payer funded places.

It is irrelevant who or what the founding fathers were. They could not have envisioned a country where we had so many different ethnicities and religions. But what they did want is a country where the government neither established nor endorsed a religion. We might have more christians in this nation than any other religion but that does not mean that it should be a nationally endorsed religion and promoted in public places. There already are symbols of christian religion in public places and in our government, but it is never enough for the zealous religious right.

Not true. We don't want what we have out there taken away. In God we trust is on our money and should stay there. Noone should attempt to remove "the Creator" from our Constitution. No one should be offended by the monuments with scripture references on them all over Washington. I could go on and on, because the God of Christianity is everywhere in this country since it's beginning.

It is irrelevant who or what the founding fathers were. They could not have envisioned a country where we had so many different ethnicities and religions.[end]

It definitely IS relevant. What they could not have envisioned is the takeover and offense of the unbelievers in this country who would dare to remove God from all things public in America. That's what they could not have envisioned!

[Cleo's Mom 257]

Not true. We don't want what we have out there taken away. In God we trust is on our money and should stay there. Noone should attempt to remove "the Creator" from our Constitution. No one should be offended by the monuments with scripture references on them all over Washington. I could go on and on, because the God of Christianity is everywhere in this country since it's beginning.

It is irrelevant who or what the founding fathers were. They could not have envisioned a country where we had so many different ethnicities and religions.[end]

It definitely IS relevant. What they could not have envisioned is the takeover and offense of the unbelievers in this country who would dare to remove God from all things public in America. That's what they could not have envisioned!

What takeover? All those things you mentioned with reference to christian symbols in our government are still there. The religious right, however, will not be satisfied until we have a theocracy and their brand of christianity is everywhere with the government's endorsement and promotion.

My religious beliefs do not depend on my government endorsing or promoting it. Nor would I want it to. If my religious beliefs were so tenuous that I had to have constant reinforcement from the government, then it wouldn't say much about my beliefs.

[pattygreen 5]

Not true. We don't want what we have out there taken away. In God we trust is on our money and should stay there. Noone should attempt to remove "the Creator" from our Constitution. No one should be offended by the monuments with scripture references on them all over Washington. I could go on and on, because the God of Christianity is everywhere in this country since it's beginning.

What takeover? All those things you mentioned with reference to christian symbols in our government are still there. The religious right, however, will not be satisfied until we have a theocracy and their brand of christianity is everywhere with the government's endorsement and promotion.

My religious beliefs do not depend on my government endorsing or promoting it. Nor would I want it to. If my religious beliefs were so tenuous that I had to have constant reinforcement from the government, then it wouldn't say much about my beliefs.

They are still there because We have to fight those who oppose our heritage every step of the way. If it were up to them, they wouldn't be. All things pertaining to God would be wiped away if they had their way.

[Cleo's Mom 257]

They are still there because We have to fight those who oppose our heritage every step of the way. If it were up to them, they wouldn't be. All things pertaining to God would be wiped away if they had their way.

And those of us who don't want to see a particular brand of religion take over our government have to be diligent to make sure it doesn't.

[leroyspuds 0]

This isn't about a threat to our American heritage and it isn't about those boys being prevented from displaying their patriotism. More to the point, the incident is a reflection of tensions in the Hispanic community over recent legislation in Arizona and outright racism in the border states.

It's not far fetched to assume these boys were making the statement -- "Mexicans go home." The vice principal was probably just trying to prevent trouble. However, I think he should have just ignored the boys rather than calling attention to them. It just wasn't an intelligent way to deal with the situation.

Our representatives in Congress need to start dealing effectively with the immigration issue.