I finally got around to looking into the American flag -t-shirt story…..
Hispanic students march through downtown for respect

Five teens were sitting at a table outside during their brunch break about 10:10 a.m. when Assistant Principal Miguel Rodriguez asked two boys to take off their American flag bandannas. The boys said they complied. In the same conversation, sophomore Dominic Maciel said, Rodriguez told the group to “walk with him to the office.”

Dariano called his mother Diana, who spread the word to the other parents, who all arrived soon after to have a conference with Rodriguez and Principal Nick Boden. The group said they were not instigating anything and did what they always do at break - sit and talk and eat.

A parent of two Live Oak students, Teresa Casillas, said the American-flag wearing students were yelling “We live in America!” at the brunch break. She said her children were upset by their behavior at school, calling it disrespectful.

“We’re all offended by it,” Casillas said. She said parents of all ethnicities she spoke with felt that way. “Morgan Hill is too small of a community to start any racial wars. This is just bringing it out a little bit more.”

The boys were told they must turn their T-shirts inside-out or be sent home - and that it would not be considered a suspension - but that Rodriguez did not want any fights to break out among Mexican-American students and those wearing American flags. Dariano said other students were wearing American flags but since they were a group of five “we were the easiest target to cause trouble” according to Rodriguez, he said.

Over at Gilroy High School, Mexican and American patriotic colors commingled peacefully Wednesday, Principal Marco Sanchez said.

“Kids were in good spirits,” he said. “I was out on campus most of the day and didn’t see anything that was abnormal.”

There were other students with American flag attire who had no problem. It was the kids taunting and shouting in the lunch room who had a problem. The other kids with American flag attire were not bothered.