Black Mom Fears for Son's Safety as Tennesee High School Won't Stop Students from Displaying Confederate Flag

It's Stewarts Creek High School, in Smyrna, Tennessee.

And remember, it's "heritage, not hate."

See the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal, "Confederate flags, image of rifle, show up at SCHS":

SMYRNA – Confederate flags decorated about a dozen student vehicles at Stewarts Creek High Thursday, including one with the image of an assault rifle and the words “COME AND TAKE IT.”

Stewarts Creek High Principal Clark Harrell declined a formal interview about the flags, including the one with the gun image.

“We’re fine,” Clark said from the lobby of the school’s front office, referring other questions to Rutherford County Schools spokesman James Evans.

Displays of the Confederate flag have been an issue since an accused white gunman in June killed nine black worshipers at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, the state where the Civil War started. The accused gunman was known to identify with the Confederate flag and express racists sentiments.

The South Carolina Legislature responded by removing a Confederate flag display from a memorial on its Capitol grounds.

Evans said the mother of an African-American student had complained about spotting a Confederate flag in the bed of a truck headed to the Stewarts Creek campus Wednesday.

“We explained to her that because of the First Amendment, students are allowed to express themselves as long as it’s not causing a disruption at school,” Evans said during a phone interview.

When it comes to the image of a rifle being on one of the flags, Evans said Board of Education attorney Jeff Reed will investigate what the district can do even though no direct threat was made.

“We obviously don’t like having the image of a gun posted on campus like that, and that’s one of the reasons he’s looking into seeing if we can remove it or not,” Evans said...

Also at WKRN News 2 Nashville, "Smyrna mom upset students can fly Confederate flags on H.S. campus":

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) – A local mother is upset because kids at her child’s school are allowed to fly Confederate flags on campus.

The mom, who would like to remain anonymous, contacted News 2 with concerns about her son’s safety at Stewarts Creek High School in Rutherford County.

She said her 14-year-old son, who is in ninth grade, came home this week and told her that kids were wearing Confederate flag T-shirts to class.

The mother said she saw them herself while dropping off her son Wednesday morning. She said she also noticed students flying Confederate flags in the back of their trucks.

“I felt sad and hurt when I saw that,” she told News 2.

The Confederate flag has remained a controversial symbol since the Civil War, and the mom said, “I just don’t think it should be in schools.”

While driving by Stewarts Creek High School, News 2 counted as many as three Confederate flags on vehicles in the parking lot. There were also some American flags being displayed.

One of the Confederate flags had the message “heritage not hate” printed on it. Still, the mom says she sees the flag as a source of hate and is afraid for her son’s safety...

Still more.

I'm sure the boy will be perfectly fine.

Obviously, it's a touchy situation as far as sensitivities go, but the school's handling it appropriately. Remember, it's a personal (private not public) display of the flag. That's protected speech. Folks are going to have to strike a balance. There's not too many radical goon leftist murderers like Dylann Roof out there.

(I'd note though, it must be shocking to folks like Stogie that this kid's not all proud of the Confederate flag, what, with all those Southern black crackers hoisting the heritage down there, y'all.)