Regardless of what their opinion is, Saucon Valley residents are passionate about the issue of Confederate flag displays on school property, as evidenced by the fact that more than 700 people have voted in a poll about the issue since Wednesday.
The vernacular, popular version of the “Confederate flag” in 2017 American culture is a rectangular version of the Army of Northern Virginia flag.
As of Friday afternoon, there is no popular majority answer to the question: “Do you support banning displays of the Confederate flag in Saucon Valley schools?”
The largest percentage of voters (39 percent, 273 votes) favor a partial ban on displays that would only allow the Confederate flag to be displayed or depicted for educational/instructional purposes, and at the discretion of teachers and administrators.
Thirty-two percent of poll respondents (228 people) favor a total ban on displays of the flag on school grounds.
Twenty-eight percent of respondents (199 people) favor no restrictions on displaying the Confederate flag. And one percent (7 people) had no opinion.
Displays of the flag in the context of this poll means not only permanent displays of the flag but also examples of self-expression, such as the wearing of a Confederate flag belt buckle or the flying of the flag on a vehicle that enters school grounds.
The issue of Confederate flag displays is a local hot topic because of a recommendation by the district’s recently-formed Equity & Inclusion Committee to ban it along with language such as the “N-word,” which the committee determined have “interfered with the educational process in Saucon Valley,” former superintendent Monica McHale-Small told the school board last week.
ABC News is also currently filming a documentary about racial tension in the district, which received national attention after a fight between two high school students last fall brought issues of racial discrimination and bullying in Saucon Valley into the limelight and led to the filing of a federal civil rights lawsuit by the family of one of the students.
On Saucon Source’s Facebook page, readers passionately weighed in on both sides of the issue.
“That flag is a part of history…good, bad or indifferent,” commented Diane Lipp McNabb. “It means different things to different people. Right now it is being unfairly demonized in my opinion. I’m a Yankee who has lived in the south for 26 years. I love the freedom it symbolizes…the rebel spirit…the tenacity of the people who proudly waive it, salute it and have died for it. God bless America.”
On the other side of the issue, Scott Caffrey commented that the subject “is a joke. The fact that we’re even discussing this is an indictment of our character. It’s about slavery, and representative of a failed rebellion we weren’t even a part of. If you want to preserve history, go to a museum.”
Others said they don’t see any evidence of racism, and said the media is exploiting the issue of racism in order to profit off it.
“I don’t know any racists, and I know a lot of people,” wrote Lisa Foley. “My kids go to a Catholic school in the inner city with African American students, Asian, Hispanic, Gay, straight, you name it! No issues whatsoever. Not one. Respect toward all. And it is a great atmosphere in which to learn. Honestly, I feel like the media decides what the latest frenzy will be, and they have access to our kids 24/7.”
“You called it when you say the media decides,” agreed Michael James. “The (Saucon) Source ran with this. Publicized the hell out of it until it made the larger circuit. Wouldn’t let it go. Still won’t. Stir the groupies and get the clicks. Local media has put the SVSD in the shitter. Congratulations.”
What do you think? Share your views in a comment here or on Facebook.
Note: In the context of this story, “Confederate flag” refers to the most popular vernacular version of the flag, which today is a rectangular version of the original Army of Northern Virginia battle flag.