Four Long Island Catholic high school students have been expelled for incidents involving a Confederate flag and the use of blackface.
Two senior boys were suspended for bringing a Confederate flag to a school sporting event, and two days later, two sophomore girls were suspended after posting a blackface photo on social media.
Principal of St. Anthony’s High School Gary Cregan said the events were separate, reports NBC New York.
The male students were suspended immediately after teachers confiscated the flag, and the female students were suspended immediately after the photo, accompanied by racist language, was posted.
“The use of any symbol, either historic or current, which carries a meaning designed to revive past injustices, or to inflame discrimination or racial intolerance is completely unacceptable and profoundly offensive,” Cregan said in a letter sent to parents. “As a Catholic and Franciscan school, Saint Anthony’s will always demand acceptance and respect for all races, religions and cultures.”
While some agree with the expulsions, there are parents who feel it was too much, like one mom who said “sometimes kids are just kids, and sometimes a conversation is all you need,” reports NY Daily News.
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