Idaho Student Says Teacher Tossed His Mexican Flag in Trash

[Gunny]

Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Associated Press

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — A high school student says he may file a lawsuit against a physical education teacher who took a Mexican flag he had brought for Cinco de Mayo and put it in the garbage.

Clint Straatman denies Froylan Camelo's version of events but said he took the flag Monday because "white kids" might have hurt the 16-year-old. He said he put it in a garbage can because he had no place else to keep it.

Camelo said he was changing into gym clothes at Minico High School in Rupert when Straatman told him, "Give me the flag."

"I said, 'What's the problem?"' Camelo, speaking in Spanish, told The Times-News of Twin Falls. "He said, 'The problem is that we are in the United States and not in Mexico.' He grabbed it from me. He threw the flag in the garbage can."

more ... http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,354476,00.html

Oh wah.

 

[Ravi]

Oh wah.

Since when can teachers confiscate legal personal property and throw it in the garbage?

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Since when can teachers confiscate legal personal property and throw it in the garbage?

Since for ever. But he did not throw it in the "trash" he put it in the can because that was what was available, which leads me to believe it was an EMPTY can.

Idaho, at least the Panhandle, is full of a lot of racist white people. The Teacher probably did save the kid from a beating.

 

[Ravi]

Since for ever. But he did not throw it in the "trash" he put it in the can because that was what was available, which leads me to believe it was an EMPTY can.

Idaho, at least the Panhandle, is full of a lot of racist white people. The Teacher probably did save the kid from a beating.

Suuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

The nanny state is an ideal when it supports your ideals, I see.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Suuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

The nanny state is an ideal when it supports your ideals, I see.

Moron. I suggest you do a little research on REALITY in small town Idaho.

 

[Dogger]

Since for ever. But he did not throw it in the "trash" he put it in the can because that was what was available, which leads me to believe it was an EMPTY can.

Idaho, at least the Panhandle, is full of a lot of racist white people. The Teacher probably did save the kid from a beating.

I'm sure the teacher would have behaved exactly the same way if the kid had an American flag.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I'm sure the teacher would have behaved exactly the same way if the kid had an American flag.

He wouldn't have been worried if the kid had an American flag. Context is your friend.

Don't get me wrong, I don't assume the Teacher is not also a racist, I am noting the fact that his actions were probably based on the REALITY of the situation in this specific case. But you liberal pin heads are free to pretend the real world and what happens in it does not matter.

 

[ReillyT]

Moron. I suggest you do a little research on REALITY in small town Idaho.

Elitist!

 

[Dogger]

Elitist!

Good one!

 

[Gunny]

Suuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

The nanny state is an ideal when it supports your ideals, I see.

What does nanny state have to do with this incident? I don't see anything in the article about supporting people with handouts comprised of my tax dollars until they feel entitled to them and forget how to think for themselves.

 

[Gunny]

I'm sure the teacher would have behaved exactly the same way if the kid had an American flag.

Why should he have? This is the US. The school itself flies the US and state flag.

This isn't Mexico.

 

[ReillyT]

Why should he have? This is the US. The school itself flies the US and state flag.

This isn't Mexico.

Kids in school are still entitled to some freedom of expression. If a kid wants to show support for the US, Mexico, Israel, Armenia, whatever, why should the school step in and stop him?

 

[jillian]

Why should he have? This is the US. The school itself flies the US and state flag.

This isn't Mexico.

There was nothing wrong with the child having the flag... the teacher had no business throwing it out. If I were the child's parent, I'd be writing some fairly strongly worded letters about the teacher and racism and the treatment given to her child.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Kids in school are still entitled to some freedom of expression. If a kid wants to show support for the US, Mexico, Israel, Armenia, whatever, why should the school step in and stop him?

The "school" did not stop him. The Teacher made a judgement call based on HIS knowledge of the class and the results of this kid displaying that flag. It is in fact the responsibility of teachers to avoid beat downs in their classes. They are expected to prevent such events as disruptive to the class and dangerous for the student subjected to it.

 

[Gunny]

Elitist!

Howso? He made a statement of fact. I must have missed where he expressed either agreement or disagreement with it. It has long been common knowledge that Idaho is a favored haunt for white separatists.

If a guy in a Klan outfit walks into a black neighborhood and gets shot, stabbed, beaten and run over, he "gets what's coming to him."

If a Hispanic kid walks into a white separatist area waving the flag of another country and his flag gets tossed in the trash it's just horrible beyond comprehension and anyone pointing out the disparity is an elitist?

 

[Gunny]

Kids in school are still entitled to some freedom of expression. If a kid wants to show support for the US, Mexico, Israel, Armenia, whatever, why should the school step in and stop him?

No they aren't. They are entitled to get educated.

 

[Gunny]

There was nothing wrong with the child having the flag... the teacher had no business throwing it out. If I were the child's parent, I'd be writing some fairly strongly worded letters about the teacher and racism and the treatment given to her child.

And you'd get a response that says tell your kid to leave his toys at home. This is a learning enviroment, not a political forum.

And of course you'd squeal racism. Why am I NOT surprised? The flag that represents a foreign nation was tossed into the trash, not the kid.

 

[ReillyT]

The "school" did not stop him.

How is taking the flag from him and throwing it away not stopping him?

The Teacher made a judgement call based on HIS knowledge of the class and the results of this kid displaying that flag. It is in fact the responsibility of teachers to avoid beat downs in their classes. They are expected to prevent such events as disruptive to the class and dangerous for the student subjected to it.

Yes, it is the job of the school to protect its students. However, preventing a "beat down" by suppressing speech that is perfectly harmless in itself should not be the way to go about it. That method equates with punishing the speaker because the speech is unpopular. Adequate supervision in the school should be sufficient to protect the child there. If he gets beat up walking home from school, that is not the school's responsibility - it becomes a criminal matter.

 

[ReillyT]

No they aren't. They are entitled to get educated.

Factually and legally wrong. Kids are entitled to a measure of 1st amendment protection while in school. That is the law.

 

[ReillyT]

Howso? He made a statement of fact. I must have missed where he expressed either agreement or disagreement with it. It has long been common knowledge that Idaho is a favored haunt for white separatists.

If a guy in a Klan outfit walks into a black neighborhood and gets shot, stabbed, beaten and run over, he "gets what's coming to him."

If a Hispanic kid walks into a white separatist area waving the flag of another country and his flag gets tossed in the trash it's just horrible beyond comprehension and anyone pointing out the disparity is an elitist?

It was a joke Gunny.