Confederate Flag on Truck Leads to Scottville School Suspension

[XLFD]

A Mason County Central High School junior has reportedly been banned from school grounds for the rest of the school year for flying a confederate flag in the back of the truck he takes to school.  On Friday afternoon, shortly after MCC schools had let out for the three day Memorial Day weekend, Travis Barrette related the following on his Facebook page:

Being that you cannot generally get a school administrative officer to respond to anything on their off-time, we have yet to hear their rationale and will gladly report that when they do.  Until then, the Ludington Torch has contacted the eighteen year old 'rebel' to find out more of the story, which he was more than willing to share. 

According to young Mr. Barrette, he had previously been warned about flying the flag in the back of his truck about a month and a half ago, because someone allegedly was offended and felt threatened by the red, white and blue piece of cloth which served as the battle flag for part of the confederate army during the American Civil War. 

Travis related he had heeded the warning, yet still wanted to fly it as often as possible, so he would take the flag down immediately after arriving to school, and then reattach it right before he would drive off school grounds.  It seemed a reasonable compromise between the school's need to keep smooth operation of their educational processes and his rights of free speech intact.  He did that for what looks to be the last time this school year on Friday morning after arriving with a friend to school.

This day, MCC High School Principal Brad Jacobs (pictured left) decided that policy was not good enough, and told the surprised junior that he could go home as this wasn't acceptable.  He punctuated this by threatening to call the local police to help enforce it, telling the young man that his school year was over and that he was banned.  After school, Travis parked off campus in order to pick up his younger brother.  He was not driving his vehicle on the grounds, so he was on the belief that his informal suspension would allow him to do this family responsibility. 

Apparently it wasn't.  According to Barrette, as he approached the school a local Scottville Police Officer asked him his name, and after he complied, informed Barrette that he was trespassing and needed to leave.  He was further informed that no trespassing papers would be sent to him in the mail.  As you can tell from his social media posting, he was astonished about the events.  Travis did notify another local news agency about the incidents, in the two days since, they asked him what grade he was in. 

In Ludington, there was a bit of controversy inspired by the confederate flag and a local stores ability to display and sell them during last year's summer months. in Yankee Transplant Attacks Local Store Over Confederate Flag  we took issue with the ultra-progressive stance of the City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews) and their radical interpretations of the flag. 

Here we find that a school administrator is alleged to have acted strongly in enforcement of a policy that ultimately needs to strike a balance between each student's rights and the school's duty to maintain order and a non-threatening environment.  Barring any extenuating circumstances that have yet been brought to the public's attention, this appears to be a case where the school over-reacted in their discipline and their decisions. 

It should first be noted that it was noted earlier this week that state legislators have been drafting laws in order to reduce the number of expulsions and lengthy suspensions school administrators are giving to students.  The idea is to keep students in school unless they present an obvious security or safety problem. 

Travis Barrette has relayed that he has had no other problems in school before this, and was flexible enough to adjust his behavior willingly.  His social media postings have no indication that he has any of the usual designations ascribed by the left of someone who flies confederate flags (other than perhaps a commonsense Christian conservative bend). 

Confederate flags of various armies fly in this southern military cemetery.  Are they flags of hate and racism?  Happy Memorial Day to everyone.

Legally speaking, school districts have relied on a lawsuit from the 1960s, Tinker v. Des Moines, for the legal precedent to be able to forbid flying Confederate flags.  In that decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that students don't lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech when they are on school property, but that school officials must be able to show that the students' conduct would "materially and substantially interfere" with the operation of the school.

That has allowed some schools to present students that take offense to the flag to the court to prove their point sufficiently.  The non-diverse student body of MCC and the mitigating actions taken by Barrette (not displaying the flag when his truck is parked on school grounds) makes this a more difficult task for the MCC school district.  They must articulate to the public/court reasons to believe that these flags are going to lead to fights, walkouts, sit-ins, or other physical events that disrupt the educational process at MCC. 

Travis Barrette hopes to get public awareness for his cause.  He is underway to organize a peaceful protest on behalf of the right to fly his confederate flag as he was and against the banishment.  We will faithfully update this article with any additional information we can receive from either party along the way, which includes submissions of FOIA requests to a school district that has always been reluctant to follow the law in that regard. 

[John Doe Jr]

Nothing less than a Police State! I hope he sues and the loss closes this school down permanently. So, a Principal can just call police and say remove this person because we don't like his flag? What about bringing the person forward who says this is threatening him? Where is the Police report on this? Police just do what a Principal says without investigating? This is bizarre! 

[Dave]

And learn how to spell scum right... lol

[stump]

I guess the principle didn't do well in history. Didn't know we were living under a natzi regine.

[stump]

What do you expect, I went to MCC . NotMyName, welcome to the torch, Everybody has different views on different subjects. I don't see where a kid going to school, not in any trouble in class is a scum bag.

[Jasper]

This story of this student is beyond the realm of deplorable. More and more of our freedoms being taken. Today is Memorial Day to honor those who fought and died for freedom. Were those who lost their lives all in vain?? It appears so!

WTH is wrong with Brad Jacobs?

As a side note...last summer with the issue with Garth at AGS didn't he have a friend who worked for one of the local manufacturing companies get terminated for having a Confederate Flag on his truck?

WTH is happening to our freedoms. Slowly they are being sucked away! Sad....sad...sad.

Wishing this young man the best in his fight for his Constitunial Rights.

[XLFD]

Looks like I missed one of our come-and-go trolls named NotMyName, although I don't think that's the name on their birth certificate. 

They left a message on their departure:  "This site is cancer incarnate." 

Incarnate means 'in human form', and I never seen cancer take that shape, nor have I ever seen this website in human form.  Doesn't look like I missed much when they imparted their wisdom here.

[Hart2003]

Xlfd, you are perfect example of what is wrong in this country. Just tell the whole story. Not all authority figures are out to get you.

[XLFD]

Thanks for the three trite and meaningless clichés.  Can we get some more sophisticated trolls to join, please?

[Willy]

[Willy]

Hart2003, if you think that X is what's wrong with the Country then you have misinterpreted the political atmosphere we live in. Either your information is wrong or your conclusions are skewed. Either way it's up to you to do the homework regarding how local leaders are mismanaging the power they have been granted. By not seeking the truth and by going along with status quo represents, to me, what is wrong with the Country as far as citizens involvement. If you know the"whole story" then please do share it.

[Dave]

Looks like MCC has changed their tune as Mr Barrette can return to school and can even park his truck in the parking lot.... along as he doesn't have the flag in the back. If he does keep the flag up then the truck has to be parked off campus.

Posted: Tuesday, May 31, 2016 11:18 am

SCOTTVILLE — A Mason County Central High School student’s Confederate flag has been banned from school property, said Superintendent Jeff Mount.

Mount said the flag, not the student, is banned from school property.

“We would like for him to come to school,” Mount said about the student. “If he keeps it on his truck he can park off campus.”

Mount said the student was told Friday that he would have to park the truck off campus if he kept the flag up.

“It’s banned because to many people it is a symbol of racism and slavery,” he said. “It has disrupted education before and all kids deserve a safe and orderly environment.”

The student, Travis Barrette, posted on the Ludington Daily News Facebook page stating he was banned from the MCC High School campus for the rest of the school year for flying a Confederate flag. “Everyone needs to grab their flags and peacefully rally,” he wrote. “They are fully and ready and willing to violate your rights amended by our founding fathers. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t follow the politcal correctness of your school, and being patriotic following our heritage.”

http://www.shorelinemedia.net/ludington_daily_news/news/local/confe...

[XLFD]

Simulcast of posts, LOL.