flag, patriotism, political correctness, ban

A South Carolina principal flexed his political correctness muscle at a high school football game when he banned America flags. He was worried that the stars and stripes might offend people! He wanted everyone to leave their patriotism at the gate.

Travelers Rest High School principal Lou Lavely ordered that anyone with an American flag be turned away from the football game with Berea. Lavely cited that having the flag at a game against this Hispanic high school would be considered unsportsman like.

Apparently, Mr. Lavely thinks that Hispanics are offended by the American flag so he wouldn’t permit them at the game!

A picture of someone with a flag being turned away is making the rounds on social media and causing a lot of backlash against Lavely.

Hunter Bellaw wrote:

“Lou Lavely, Travelers Rest High School Principal, continues to power trip and strip young Americans of the right to proudly boast this Nation’s flag.
Last night I picked my brother up from the TRHS Football game and he told me that Lavely had denied entry to a couple of young men with American flags. I can’t deny the rage I felt as this is the third incident I’ve had involving Lavely and the flag I love.
First, the day after Osama was killed in 2011 we were told we couldn’t have the American flag on our trucks on school property and the TRPD came and handled the situation. Lavely later apologized to our group.
Second, I was picking up my youngest brother and saw two high school boys handling our flag with disrespect at the flag pole as they let it drag the ground and he acted like it was not an issue.
Third, last night as I took the flag and attempted to enter myself he stated, “I have the authority to tell anyone they can’t bring it on the property.” Unfortunately the cops were not helpful and sided with Lavely even after stating “you’d probably win if you took it to the school district.” I’m no expert and don’t know the laws in and out. But.. if he has the power to strip Americans the right to boast the American flag after being pumped up about our Olympic run there is a much bigger problem. A problem that need to be resolved.
I’m sick of this political correctness. We need to do something about it because it’s not getting any better.”

This principal has a serious issue with the flag. What is his problem? Why would he think Americans would be offended by its presence? He clearly has an agenda here. He does not agree with American Exceptionalism.

Ironically, the police officer in the picture is an Army veteran and disagrees with banning the flag. But, as an officer, he has to enforce this nonsense.

Alivia Waynick is a Travelers Rest student who was not allowed to bring a flag into the game. She made a video (below) about what happened. The details explain that the flags weren’t an issue. There wasn’t hostility and it appeared nobody was offended – except the principal.

People are fed up with political correctness and they fought back. Lou Lavely got a tremendous amount of heat for his attack on the flag. So much that the school district announced that Lavely had reconsidered his ban on the stars and stripes.

At Friday night’s football game between Travelers Rest and Berea, TR High School Principal Lou Lavely restricted some students from bringing the American Flag into the stadium. An American Flag was also confiscated from a student within the stadium. Mr. Lavely based this decision on past incidents in which TR students used the U.S. Flag, in conjunction with verbal taunts, to target Hispanic members of the Berea community in a manner that was both unsportsmanlike and also a misuse of our Flag. Though social media reported that Mr. Lavely restricted the flag because it might offend members of the Berea community, Mr. Lavely vehemently denies believing or stating that the Flag might be offensive to that community.

Today, after meeting with Travelers Rest student and faculty leadership, and with the benefit of time to reflect, Mr. Lavely has reached a different decision. He based this decision on current students’ request that he judge them on their own merits and not based on the actions of past students. As a result, effective immediately, students are allowed to bring the American Flag to any and all Travelers Rest High School events. Instead of restricting possession of the flag, the TRHS administration will, if needed, address the misuse of the Flag, or any other inappropriate behavior, on an individual basis.

“I fully support Mr. Lavely’s thoughtful reconsideration, and his willingness to respond to advice and input from his community,” said Superintendent Burke Royster. “I am appreciative of the Travelers Rest High School community for sharing its concerns and opinions on this matter in a respectful, civil manner. I also appreciate and applaud their desire to promote patriotism and service as a part of the culture of their school and am in agreement that students’ desire to carry and display the American flag should be encouraged and supported throughout the District.”

Sounds to me that the school district had to apply some pressure. This is how you fight back against political correctness. Common sense won this battle, but we always have to be vigilant for the next fight.

Please share this if you have had enough of political correctness!

H/T: EAG News

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