Boy's Rebel Flag, Noose Display Causes Stir
Boy Punished After Incident, Some Parents Upset
POSTED: 6:46 pm CDT April 28,
2008
UPDATED: 10:14 am CDT April 29,
2008
FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- A teenager created a stir in Williamson County by driving to school displaying two Confederate flags and a rope tied like a noose.
Watch This StoryExtra security was in place at Independence High School on Monday, but some parents wondered why the boy is still in class.Williamson County deputies were dispatched to the school amid fight rumors. Tensions began when a boy -- nicknamed Cooter -- hung a noose from his rearview mirror on Friday.On his MySpace.com page, he has pictures of his Ford Bronco with the two Confederate flags displayed. The page also says that “I am extremely racist. So if you got a problem with that, then don’t talk to me.”"I thought it was sad. I’d like to talk to his parents. I’d like to know who or why he thinks it’s OK," said one parent who was not identified.Another parent said she was disappointed that the boy was back at school after serving only five days of in-school suspension."Kind of left speechless on the difference of the punishment. I would love to know what administration is thinking as to why this child was only given five days of ISS," the parent said.School administrators sent a recorded message to parents on Friday that Confederate flags were banned from campus beginning on Monday."While such symbols are generally protected by the First Amendment, that protection is limited in school settings when events such as today’s occur," the message stated."Everybody seems to really get along here. It’s a pretty happy place," student Matt Hamilton said."It starts a lot of drama. It made a lot of people mad, it’s just kind of dumb," another student said.The school sent out an e-mail to parents on Friday about a disruption at school during a lunch period. There were more threats on Monday morning, which is why extra security was called in.The boy had to have a police escort as he left the parking lot on Monday.This is the fifth time something like this has happened at a school in Williamson County.In February, there were two incidents in which racial slurs and a noose were left in a bathroom at Poplar Grove Middle School that resulted in the arrest of four eighth-graders.In March, there were two incidents of racial graffiti at Freedom Middle School.
Watch This StoryExtra security was in place at Independence High School on Monday, but some parents wondered why the boy is still in class.Williamson County deputies were dispatched to the school amid fight rumors. Tensions began when a boy -- nicknamed Cooter -- hung a noose from his rearview mirror on Friday.On his MySpace.com page, he has pictures of his Ford Bronco with the two Confederate flags displayed. The page also says that “I am extremely racist. So if you got a problem with that, then don’t talk to me.”"I thought it was sad. I’d like to talk to his parents. I’d like to know who or why he thinks it’s OK," said one parent who was not identified.Another parent said she was disappointed that the boy was back at school after serving only five days of in-school suspension."Kind of left speechless on the difference of the punishment. I would love to know what administration is thinking as to why this child was only given five days of ISS," the parent said.School administrators sent a recorded message to parents on Friday that Confederate flags were banned from campus beginning on Monday."While such symbols are generally protected by the First Amendment, that protection is limited in school settings when events such as today’s occur," the message stated."Everybody seems to really get along here. It’s a pretty happy place," student Matt Hamilton said."It starts a lot of drama. It made a lot of people mad, it’s just kind of dumb," another student said.The school sent out an e-mail to parents on Friday about a disruption at school during a lunch period. There were more threats on Monday morning, which is why extra security was called in.The boy had to have a police escort as he left the parking lot on Monday.This is the fifth time something like this has happened at a school in Williamson County.In February, there were two incidents in which racial slurs and a noose were left in a bathroom at Poplar Grove Middle School that resulted in the arrest of four eighth-graders.In March, there were two incidents of racial graffiti at Freedom Middle School.- Popular WSMV Slideshows: Slideshow: Red-Hot Redheaded Celebrity Women Slideshow: Celebrities Commit Fashion Faux Pas Slideshow: Great Weather Photos
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