Officials at Denair Middle School near Sacramento, California, ordered 13-year-old Cody Alicea to remove an American flag from his bike after receiving complaints from other students.
The youngster has flown the flag from his bike for two months in honor of veterans like his grandfather, but officials said the display could cause "racial tensions".
Superintendent Edward Parraz agreed that Cody does have a First Amendment right to display the flag, but noted the display comes with a responsibility, which apparently means hiding his patriotism for his own country.
According to an article at The Blaze, Parraz said,
“Our Hispanic, you know, kids will, you know, bring their Mexican flags and they’ll display it, and then of course the kids would do the American flag situation, and it does cause kind of a racial tension which we don’t really want,” Parraz said. “We want them to appreciate the cultures.”
Apparently, that appreciation means hiding his own feelings of pride and patriotism.
But Cody sees it differently.
“In this country we’re supposed to be free,” he said. “And I should be able to wave my flag wherever I want to. And they‘re telling me I can’t.”
Attempts to contact the school were unsuccessful, and the school website was down at the time of this writing.
Now, thanks to political correctness, the student hides his flag during the day and keeps it hidden in his backpack.
In the meantime, Hispanic students display the Mexican flag on Cinco de Mayo, and the school flies the American flag in front of its building, but young Cody must hide his flag because some see it as racist.
Comments
I think the persons complaining about a flag, for the country they are living in, should be suspended. We don't live in Communist China for G*ds sake.
Anyone who makes anyone take down a complaint about an American flag has no b*lls. This IS America and whoever doesn't like the flag should pick up their rear end and get out.
Who exactly complained? I'm sick of these phantom complaints. If this poor kid has to be all over the news, I think whoever complaints should be on there too.
Agree with you Jenna. It is absolutely ridiculous that we as Americans have to put with this bs non-sense!!!
denair middle school phone # 209-632-7514
This isn't about race or ethnicity... It is about Liberalism/Socialism taking control of our schools...
Unfortunately, there are white liberal/socialist people who agree with the banning...
The problem with America today is not enough people who believe in our founding fathers care to stand up and speak out... They would rather not make a fuss and let the psychopaths take over our country...
You say it's wrong to have an American put his flag away, but you won't spell out God??
Wow this school is ridiculous........I would pull my child out of there so fast they wouldn't see it coming......
I agree!
I wouldn't pull them out. That would give the bad administrators a win for not having to deal with it again. I would buy my kid 5 more flags for her bike and maybe even a radio that played the national anthem.
Why should we be surprised at this crap? After all it is CA, the state that just re-elected Barbara Boxer, even after she chastised a General for calling her "Mam" rather than Senator. Can this country sink any lower. Where's that earthquake when we need it?
I agree with Jenna F...I get so sick of our country having to change every time an outsider is offended..Rather than becoming acceeptant of other cultures, why dont they accept oour culture or LEAVE OUR COUNTRY...They came here to enjoy our freedoms now they want to take em away and make it like the country they came from....If the country these people come from is so great then GO BACK TO IT...Our children should be allowed to be proud of their parents, or grandparents who gave their lives for our freedom..
I'm going to call the school Monday and we'll see what they have to say..
i cannot beleive what i just heard on the radio today about this great patriotic boy displaying our countries symbol. what is the matter with these school officials? this is america. we have the right ,and should fly this symbol that so many patriots have faugt for, and sacrificed thier lives so we can all live free and proudly display our flag. i say get to hell out of here if you can't respect or do not like our flag being displayed. we are not being racists we are being americans. try to go to some foriegn country tell them you are insulted with there flag displays, see what they would say. come on folks smarten up. i love this country abd our flag. i display my flag 24/7. we should all go to this school and surround it with as many old glories as we can find. thanks for your time. lenny
What a bunch of idiots running this school. This is the United States of America. I am so fortunate to live in a small town where our US flag can be proudly flown without idiots like them here. I occasionally say to folks here you can find a (fill in your own expletive) LA Laker or Raider flag flying in the city of L.A. before you will see Old Glory. What a shame. Born and made in the the USA and proud of it.
Their day is coming. That one big earth quake and woosh, the whole friggin state is gone.
I am so sick of filthy stinking minorities dictating to the rest of us. They came here from their crap hole of a country for a "better life" and they want to drag us down into the sewer from which they came.
Did I read this right? Was this child refused to fly the USA flag on his bike because of what, who or why. Is this nuts or what? I don't get it. In this great nation there is enough bull shit and demeaning news of events that are curious. Who exactly refused the boy to fly the flag on his bike in California. Name of this person, school district, news source, and contact information, confirmed will be appreciated for follow up in future blogs and related news that will be persued. This is wrong. Just the facts jack and only the facts and I will persue this issue. As ever be well, Stephen Craig Rowe
Does Superintendent Edward Parraz accept Veterans Day as a paid holiday and if so does he view that as inspiring "racial tension"? How many patriotic inspired holidays does this Sup enjoy? Hypocrite?
Let's Take Back America!!!! Fly your flags....I am.
These same country haters voted for Barrack, married Barrack, and make 90% of all the entertainment you watch. You want to make a difference? Be selective where you spend your dollars.
First off Cody Alicea you are an amazing patriot and no matter what the school said i would fly your flag. That is got to be against your constitutional rights to be denied that opportunity. As for those of you who were offended by the flag. Go away. leave my country. everyday you take for granted the freedoms soldiers fight for. if you dont like the fact he flew the american flag go back to where ever it is they fly your flag. i dont go to your country and complain quit comin to mine and doin it. As for the school the superattendant needs to grow a set of balls and man up. F*ckin liberals.
First of all I would like to send a prayer out to those who are serving our great nation. And also to all the families in this who are being taken advatange of by these low life, ignorant, self indulgent, hypocrites who can't let legal Americans fly or flag, but I'll allow these illegals fly their mexican flag over our. Maybe we should all pray for the souls of these people in charge of us because the lord knows they won't change. Screw California we should let the mexicans have it back and build a fence around California keeping them in so they can't infect the rest of the nation.
screw you john USMC! I live in Ca. and am a very proud American. Im sick of people like you lumping all Californians in with the ones who need there butt kicked and run out of town on a rail. As an American I am not about to let the mexicans as you say have it back. As a marine you should know better than to give up ground you have already conquered. If one state does it, then another, than another. So please dont infect the rest of the nation with your profound insights.
p.s. thanks for your service to the country
whoever came up with this idea to discipline this child needs to be fired!
As a U. S. Army Veteran of both Gulf Wars and Somalia, I am absolutely appalled by this. What in the world is this country coming to, when a very patriotic boy can't display Old Glory. California is still part of the USA, right? I agree with the others who have posted that they are sick of immigrants (if that's who was complaining) saying they are offended by American Symbols and Customs. I had several close calls in Iraq and I didn't serve my country proudly just to come home and see these idiots thumb their nose at the Symbol of Freedom that I dedicated a good part of my life to, defending. If you can't accept that you are now an American and insist on displaying YOUR home countries flag, then get the hell out, we don't want you here and definitely don't need you.
AS bad as this incident is, I am encouraged by the comments that are left behind. There will always be those who bleed our great country without ever a thought about giving back. These individuals seem to congregate within our school systems and the media. They seem to make the most noise and recieve the greatest media attention.
Yet, it is still the majority of Americans that realize the freedoms that we enjoy and the sacrifice that was made by our veterans in protecting those freedoms. God Bless America and God Bless that young boy, Cody Alicea.
A Vietnam Veteran
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
You make an excellent point!!
It's because of kids like him who know what it means to be patriotic and I'd shake your hand for this comment if i could.
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