School should teach racial sensitivity

For years Bo and Luke Duke raced across dirt roads and television sets in the legendary… For years Bo and Luke Duke raced across dirt roads and television sets in the legendary General Lee, consistently outwitting and outdriving a force of bumbling, quirky policemen. But that famous orange car is no longer defined solely by its speed, because its roof is decorated with a large Confederate battle flag – a symbol interpreted by many as a message of hate.

The debate over the flag has come to the Pittsburgh area recently, and it raises an interesting question about free speech in the public schools.

Effective today, Confederate flags – whether they be found on clothing, vehicles or anything else – are banned at the Butler Area School District. According to Superintendent Ed Fink, the administration decided to ban the flags after an incident earlier this month.

During Homecoming week, the high school held a country and Western themed day, and many students came to school with clothing that featured the Stars and Bars. Several students and parents complained, and the school responded by imposing the ban.

But while some applaud the district’s actions, many students have assembled to organize a protest and petition. Their objections are fairly typical, describing the flag as a symbol of heritage and not hate.

One interesting aspect of this situation is not the debate itself, but the fact that it has jumped from Georgia to Butler County. Students at Butler Area High don’t need to promote Southern heritage – they live in Pennsylvania.

But at the same time, the school could find a better way to address the problem. Education and dialogue are always better than suppression, and a ban on Confederate flags isn’t productive. It won’t change views, but it will make students grumble. The school should be focused on the attitude behind the flags, not the flags themselves. The problem is not in the symbol, but in the mentality that racial insensitivity is no big deal.

Matt McGee, a 17-year-old senior, is supporting the protest because his truck is now forbidden from the school parking lot. He bought it this summer and promptly painted it to look like the General Lee, complete with a Confederate flag on the roof. McGee doesn’t think his truck is offensive. The school district has a responsibility to explain to him why he is wrong.

Whatever heritage the Confederate flag used to represent is now overshadowed by images of slavery, oppression and hate. Butler must take advantage of this opportunity to educate students and incite change.