San Benito High School Superintendent Stan Rose today said he had done an exhaustive check of school records and board meeting minutes and found no permanent policies banning the American flag, and the official attempted to dispel controversy over students' perceptions to the contrary by sending a letter to parents clarifying the issue.
The message from Rose dated Oct. 3 also referred to the Free Lance story published last week as having an "egregious inaccuracy."
Rose, however, also told the Free Lance today that it's possible some staff members hadn't "let go of the concept" - referring to an unwritten flag ban in place previously that was enacted before former Principal Debbie Padilla's tenure started in the fall of 2004.
In his letter, he started by noting how the district recently had added restrictions to the dress code in response to gang-related tensions and sent a notice to parents.
"Subsequent to that notice, one of our own students was told incorrectly by an employee that he must remove a T-shirt that contained a depiction of the American flag," reads Rose's letter. "A local news agency reported that the high school had banned the American flag. Now, we are working to correct an inaccuracy. It is a particularly egregious inaccuracy to those families who have members who served in defense of our country."
The Free Lance story published last week quoted SBHS senior Matt Austin saying he had been driving around with a flag on his truck last Wednesday - when the dress code changes were enacted - and that four different campus supervisors told him to take it down while they recorded his name and plate number. He also alleged he was told at one point he could be suspended if he hadn't followed the order. Another student, Jared Ballinger, told the newspaper he was advised by a counselor to remove an American flag from his truck, for safety's sake, as well.
Although there is no documented policy banning flags, as the newspaper reported, the rule has been documented as having been in place in 2005 under former Principal Debbie Padilla, who was succeeded by Principal Krystal Lomanto before the fall of 2007. The issue arose then because students were told to remove Mexican flags - and that American flags were banned as well - to curtail gang-related problems.
That story includes comments on the issue and acknowledgment of a ban from Padilla, county Superintendent Tim Foley, then-SBHS Superintendent Jean Burns-Slater, former student Trustee Stefany James and Mickie Luna with the League of United Latin American Citizens' local chapter.
Lomanto did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment for this story. A coworker in her office has said she would respond to the media on all matters only by e-mail, and the Free Lance prohibits e-mail interviews with public figures as the only source of communication.
"What I understand happened was that in 2005 there was some tension that happened around the Mexican Flag," Rose told the Free Lance today. "There were student walkouts at the time regarding immigration law, and to dispel tension, there was principal-to-teacher and teacher-to-student contact on respectful display of flags."
Rose said there was an unwritten policy - but that it was not permanent.
"What I am explaining is that the term policy in the Free Lance article was not accurate because it was not a real policy," he said. "It existed for a brief time."
Rose said it's possible some staff members weren't clear there was no longer a ban against flags.
"It may be that some teachers and staff didn't let go of the concept," Rose said.
Rose said the issue has been "blown way out of proportion."
"I buried my own father under the American Flag," he said.
Foley, the county schools chief, said there might be a benefit to the issue's "furor."
"If any good comes out of the furor, it will be that this is a time to establish a clear policy," he said. "This is an opportunity for the board to solidify the school's policy regarding the flag and clear up any existing misunderstanding."
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