So here's a story that is a lot more complex than a simple case of he-said, she-said. A 13-year-old boy served a one-day in-school suspension after he reportedly used an American flag to wipe his hands after leaving the bathroom. On top of this, Moses Hinton is the only African-American student in the Virginia Beach Plaza Middle School's gifted program; his parents are saying that he was unfairly punished because of it ... although the principal at the school is black.
There's definitely a lot going on here. When confronted about it, Moses allegedly told the teacher there were no paper towels left in the bathroom, but according to the boy’s mother, "His response was 'mommy I was coming up the stairs and I lost my balance and I touched the flag.'"
Oh boy. No matter, it seems that Hinton did touch the flag. But I do feel like a one-day suspension was extreme in this case.
Of course, if Moses did wipe his hands on the flag, he should have been punished ... it's a symbol that must always be respected. My dad is a veteran and my brother went to the Air Force Academy; I know all the rules when it comes to the flag and I don't mess around with them. People who intentionally deface the flag should be held accountable, no doubt about it.
But the flag in the auditorium wasn't damaged or broken or stained beyond repair. It was a careless mistake; it wasn't as if the boy actually had the intention to take the flag off the pole and stomp around on it. Perhaps he could have gotten a warning or detention or written an essay about the flag instead -- a suspension will be on his record, and it's too harsh a punishment.
Still, I don't believe that Hinton's race had anything to do with suspending him, though his parents say otherwise. "Why react so harshly?" said the Hintons' attorney. "You have a bright, gifted, young black male; it seems to be an attempt to pour ice water on his motivation."
Would the punishment have been less severe had a white student wiped his hands on the flag? It's an impossible question to answer -- I just hope that Moses will be able to move on from this incident and continue to succeed in his gifted program, politics and patriotism aside.
Here's more on this story:
Do you think a one-day suspension was too harsh a punishment?
Image via Just some dust/Flickr
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Comments 54
@ Pony Chaser-My father, my brother, and I myself did not serve this country for some curtains. You can't compare our flag to some curtains. Last time I looked at the Memorial of Hiroshima, the piece of cloth attached were not lace curtains. There's blood and sacrifice in every fiber of our flag. You had better realize that your very safety and life style are yours because someone died for it and carried this flag into battle with them. When it fell they picked it up and ran with it. . Respect their sacrifice and remember when you lay down your damn head on your little pillow at night, they are all standing on that wall for YOU! Why don't you go and serve your counrty. Oh wait. You have the freedom not to. YOUR WELCOME!!!!!
Diana, back off a minute.
I used it as a specific example to take the passion for the flag out of the argument FOR A MOMENT, and make people realize that this situation is about basic RESPECT.
Respect for the flag, respect for the school's property, respect for people and things outside this kid's immediate world.
And if you want to start comparing, sweetheart... my brother is a vet. My father is a vet. Damn near all of my uncles are veterans, having served in WWI, WWII, Korea, Panama... the list goes on. Just because I wasn't able to serve doesn't mean that I don't know what the flag stands for. But it is possible to put that fervor away for a minute to have a civil debate and to make a point.
Understandable. You don't sound like a person without patriotism. You should be proud of your father and your uncles for serving. I think you are. But please see my end of it. When I saw your comment and the word curtain, I looked up at the flag that sits in a glass case above me, the same one I accepted from the white gloved hands of a active duty sailor at my fathers funeral, and the one I buried my face into as my mother cried next to me. And I was furious. I am not so upset now. But I sure love that flag. Thank you for your comments.
That is exactly why I wanted to take the flag out of it for a moment. Yes, it is horrendous that this kid would wipe his hands on the flag, and he should be punished for it. But so many people let it end there... if it wasn't the flag, and it WAS curtains, suddenly the kid would be excused because they're "just curtains". For me, it comes down to respecting ALL property that doesn't belong to him, and that's why I don't have a single issue with his suspension.
Add the flag back in, and it just gives me more ammunition. I'd have given him two days. One for disrespect, and the other for disrespecting the flag.
Thank you for serving when I couldn't. And I'm sorry for your loss. Thank you for him, too.
Relatively mild punishment. I see no reason why he shouldn't serve this suspension.