Constitutional Law

Calif. middle schooler gets apology in U.S. flag flap

By By The Associated Press

DENAIR, Calif. ? A Stanislaus County school official has apologized to a student who was told to remove an American flag from the back of his bicycle.

Last week, a supervisor at Denair Middle School told 13-year-old Cody Alicea to remove the flag over concerns for the teen's safety. School officials said some students had made threatening remarks amid racial tensions stemming from the display of a Mexican flag during Cinco de Mayo.

Cody's stepfather called local media, and a civil rights group threatened to sue the district for First Amendment violations.

The Modesto Bee reported that Denair schools Superintendent Ed Parraz later apologized to Cody and community members who were upset by the flag flap.

Yesterday morning, several hundred people waving U.S. flags of their own, gathered for a rally to celebrate Cody's victory and then to escort him to school.

Full post as published by First Amendment Center on November 15, 2010 (boomark / email).