http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/01/schools-redneck-day-draws-objections/2128347/
When members of the student council at an Arizona high school organized a schoolwide "Redneck Day" and encouraged classmates to dress — and spoof — accordingly, they hoped to build school spirit leading up to prom week.
Instead, "Redneck Day" at Queen Creek High School has angered African-Americans and civil-rights leaders and touched off a debate about free speech, social stereotypes and good taste.
The Rev. Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County NAACP, who grew up in the 1940s in the South, said: "Our community knows what that flag represents. ... A school is supposed to be for education and showing people where we come from, our history, and to try not to go back to some things."
Lindsey said the student wearing the Confederate flag was pulled aside by an assistant principal and asked to change his clothes.
"It was no ill intent," Lindsey said.
The student, who is from a state where the flag is more prevalent, did not see a negative connotation, the superintendent said.
"It was explained to him that in Arizona, we look at it differently," Lindsey said, adding that Redneck Day was mostly uneventful.
"We apologize to any people who, because of the word (redneck), were offended," Lindsey said.
Maureen Costello, director of the Teaching Tolerance program at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., said schools would do well to adopt the slogan of physicians: Do no harm.
"Do no harm to a student's sense of identity," she said. "Everyone should feel welcome."
Costello said she understands that Redneck Day was intended to bolster students' sense of feeling good about school but said "they've chosen an event that stereotypes an entire group of people, and under those circumstances, they should hardly be surprised that they also offend people."
She said a student wearing a Confederate flag could easily argue that he's "playing a role, and he doesn't mean it."
"But the flag is a very potent symbol," Costello said, "and the school facilitated that."
Costello said the school should do two things: "Open up a dialogue about why this was so offensive to some people, and second, to really start thinking through the kinds of events they sponsor to build school spirit."
She added that probably some students' families can be traced to the Appalachians, and "maybe they don't feel so great about being called rednecks."
When members of the student council at an Arizona high school organized a schoolwide "Redneck Day" and encouraged classmates to dress — and spoof — accordingly, they hoped to build school spirit leading up to prom week.
Instead, "Redneck Day" at Queen Creek High School has angered African-Americans and civil-rights leaders and touched off a debate about free speech, social stereotypes and good taste.
The Rev. Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County NAACP, who grew up in the 1940s in the South, said: "Our community knows what that flag represents. ... A school is supposed to be for education and showing people where we come from, our history, and to try not to go back to some things."
Lindsey said the student wearing the Confederate flag was pulled aside by an assistant principal and asked to change his clothes.
"It was no ill intent," Lindsey said.
The student, who is from a state where the flag is more prevalent, did not see a negative connotation, the superintendent said.
"It was explained to him that in Arizona, we look at it differently," Lindsey said, adding that Redneck Day was mostly uneventful.
"We apologize to any people who, because of the word (redneck), were offended," Lindsey said.
Maureen Costello, director of the Teaching Tolerance program at the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., said schools would do well to adopt the slogan of physicians: Do no harm.
"Do no harm to a student's sense of identity," she said. "Everyone should feel welcome."
Costello said she understands that Redneck Day was intended to bolster students' sense of feeling good about school but said "they've chosen an event that stereotypes an entire group of people, and under those circumstances, they should hardly be surprised that they also offend people."
She said a student wearing a Confederate flag could easily argue that he's "playing a role, and he doesn't mean it."
"But the flag is a very potent symbol," Costello said, "and the school facilitated that."
Costello said the school should do two things: "Open up a dialogue about why this was so offensive to some people, and second, to really start thinking through the kinds of events they sponsor to build school spirit."
She added that probably some students' families can be traced to the Appalachians, and "maybe they don't feel so great about being called rednecks."
