I do understand a recent letter writer’s passion for the American flag (Herald, Jan. 5) and what it represents, however there are many symbols that people feel passionate about and feel represent them. They have the right to display them even in schools.
As the writer stated, the Constitution affords us our protections to free speech regardless of the environment. The American flag does represent us all as Americans but there is more to each individual than just one symbol. Per the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court, “neither students nor teachers shed their constitutional rights simply by entering a school.” This was decided in Tinker v. Des Moines, Feb. 24, 1969.
Students at an Iowa school wanted to wear black arm bands as a symbol in protest of the Vietnam War. The principal of the school tried to stop the students and the students who still wore the arm bands were suspended. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the students.
We will always have differing opinions and I will never agree with them all either, however, if we take the flags down in the schools, next we will want to tell people to take their flags down at home and where does it stop?
Yes, the American flag and our Constitution are what bind us and make us one nation but they also allow us to be a diverse nation of people, which makes both the flag and Constitution stronger.
John Gallup
Durango