BRENHAM ISD ADDRESSES FLAGS AT GRADUATION CEREMONY
(Mark Whitehead)
Brenham ISD has provided clarification on what items are allowed during high school graduation.
KWHI reached out to Brenham ISD after receiving numerous comments about large flags being waved during Saturday night’s graduation ceremony at Cub Stadium.
Brenham ISD provided the following statement to KWHI on Thursday:
Brenham ISD is aware of the discussions out in the community about allowable items during graduation. The current Brenham High School 2020-2021 Student Handbook does not specifically address items prohibited and allowed while attending or participating in the graduation ceremony. While we hope to make this a reverent ceremony and enjoyable experience for all, our goal is to celebrate the accomplishments and keep the focus and the discussions on this grand milestone in their high school journey. Brenham ISD will work with Brenham High School leadership to strengthen policy and procedures that will give teachers and staff the ability to be more proactive about items that may disrupt the ceremony.
You can access the Brenham High School Student Handbook here.
I admit this is one thing I don’t miss about Brenham.
Personally, I’m more concerned about safety here than what flag it is.
I get heritage pride.
But – REGARDLESS of what’s on it – simply put that flag was WAY too big to be swinging around with that large of a group.
I’ve been hit on the face by a stick/metal pole – bad black eye.
I’ve never liked them or airhorns for the safety reasons.
•••••••
My suggestion, as I think this is banned at BISD (may have changed):
– Why not allowed them to decorate their mortarboards?
Where I live now the students are allowed to, and they were absolutely gorgeous and reflected heritage, college, biblical, or simply all rhinestone (boring idea but pretty result).
Now, there’d be rules:
A. Design must be approved by the school – taste, not content unless violates school dress code.
B. Can be anything that doesn’t violate the dress code.
Oh and violators are denied the privilege, up to a delay in getting their certificate.
*******
This way, they celebrate individuality, show pride… and no risk of harm or safety from flying projectiles.
I like how this post and the other post is overrun with so many bullying, slanderous, political comments alluding to people being offended over a student’s choice in a town that liked to pretend to be accepting and neighborly. These comments are readily allowed and approved when they are clearly warned they will not be. The comments always seem to come from individuals who seem to like to hide under the guise of being “American” and “Christian”. The lack of tolerance in these comments and town are painful to read and show more of what these “natural” citizens think and feel rather than what they claim to preach. The worst part is they are directly their judgement on younger adults and children who have the same rights (or at least deserve) the same rights as they do. Are we not seeing this or do we just not want to admit that our beliefs and thoughts we are spewing are going directly against the love and tolerance we like to preach. Love thy neighbor. That statement has zero exceptions or limitations. Just because you don’t agree with someone doesn’t me you have the right to tear them down. So to all the “adults” and “elders” of this town, take a moment to think about how you talk to someone or about someone. We are all human. Every race, background, and lifestyle. We all deserve love and acceptance. If you cannot get out of your own headspace of judgement, maybe, it is you who needs to work on things. Not the individuals you took time out to attack.
Looks at this people we are not the only one dealing with the flag issue.
https://www.yahoo.com/gma/north-carolina-student-denied-diploma-205046182.html
You know, no matter what your opinion is on this subject, if you all would just shut up about it (especially those that don’t like it) everyone would have probably forgotten it by now. Not everything has to be culture war hand to hand combat. The conversation is way out of proportion to the actual “crisis” here.
When I graduated high school (not here) the coordinator was adamant that no one could chew gum because it make the tassel swing unnecessarily and nobody, I mean nobody, should act excited on the solemn occasion. Looking back now it was all so stupid and I am sure everyone fighting over this flag display will probably look back and think the same thing.
Here’s a suggestion: Everyone wears cap and gowns, choice of shoes, choice of jewelry.
And you can add any embellishments you want to your vehicle, your celebration photos….etc
But the ceremony itself should remain traditional and reverent. It’s a great & joyful accomplishment to be remembered without controversy.
Cap & Gowns & Tradition–and no disagreements.
Grad ceremony is for the kiddos… let them shine.
I wrote most of this before before but it was quickly buried. For this discord about what should be acceptable and what is not, I’m shocked. I wonder what these students have been taught and this reaction just makes me more pro school choice and charter school. Our public schools seemingly promote this kind of “multi-cultural” division and its truly unacceptable that tax payers are forced to fund something that runs completely contrary to their beliefs and the beliefs they want taught to their children.
From https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/learn-about-citizenship/the-naturalization-interview-and-test/naturalization-oath-of-allegiance-to-the-united-states-of-america
“Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America
Oath”
“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty, of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”
I wonder if all of our residents or ancestors have taken this oath or if it was somehow avoided? It doesn’t seem like a person that took this oath would be waving anything except the US flag in our country. Yet we are seeing a Mexican flag being waved at US tax payer funded events, not Mexico funded. We are seeing proposals from citizens here that would inflict harm to First Amendment rights of Christians Jews and Muslims by allowing or promoting a Pride flag to be waved from government but that another matter. But we inherited this oath and its implications when out ancestors took it. We’re bound by it unless we renounce and leave the country. If we were to start waving the German, Mexican or anything other than a state or US flag we would not have abjured allegiance. This is clear and serious.
Some will skirt this by claiming the US is about “multi-culturalism” but that’s really just a subversive copout on a concept rooted in Marxism. A melting pot is pluralistic but it has a base as a dominate culture exists and it must exist or you start to get a divided states of America. Eventually, just a like a mindless parasite, the host of the United States that breathed life into the parasite in the first place, dies. The parasite dies with it.
Our founding intended an E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one) , with an emphasis on one, IT IS NOT out of one, many. This is not racist or old or antiquated, it is very much timelessly patriotic and required of each citizen. We only have one national flag to wave and one country to support. Commonality is critical, ask anyone that’s led anything. If commonality is not present naturally, you find a way to develop it. We are conflating our novel approach of joining diverse but irrelevant phenotypes and cultural backgrounds with a dire need to sustain a morally unified citizenship of a constitutionally free people.
Face it, democracy is a fraud! Who are the ones that decide who and what the “one” is from which “many” should spring? And is it to the exclusion of everyone else? Who are “We the people”? Are they Anglo-Saxon, Polish, German, BLACK, African-American, Latino, Asian or LGBTQ? Mmm, all of these cultures, ethnic groups and alliances are here and WILL STAY! Perhaps those who think themselves superior aren’t really superior and those in power are really not empowered. Power concedes nothing without a demand! We are witnessing the mighty power of demand all over this nation and it is a wonderful thing. Wave your FLAGS!
Shouting demands tend to get you no where except two steps back from where you started.
Identity groups are pointless side shows; please consider re reading the Constitution and study Jesus. Like rage, earthly power isn’t real unless the person decides it is, and then, its only real to the person.
But I guess you can demand all the hamburgers you want and wanting them right now even though that’s not on the menu in a permanently closed restaurant isn’t going to get you hamburger now or tomorrow.
Have a great day and consider being thankful for living here!
Like you can decide for me that I cannot live here? I was born here! My parents and grandparents were born here! And we are seeing changes on every level because people are demanding change with more than their voices. You may not like it but you are powerless to stop it. Fools shout. Intelligent people demand with a strategy already in place. Your post made no sense at all. The Constitution does not state that it is illegal to wave a Mexican flag at a HS graduation ceremony. I am sure you would like for it to say such; but, it does not. Try posting again and this time try being intelligent. And FYI, I am not in the mood for a hamburger today!
Eric, AMEN to everything you said!
Ever wonder how those in power can get away with EVERYTHING? Think all the way back to February and recall that our infrastructure in Texas completely failed. A lot of people died (194 per the Chronicle), froze to death in their own homes because more profit could be extracted from us if they ignored guidelines to winterize the power plants. And there WERE guidelines and recommendations to do just that dating from 2011. It was predicted, it was preventable, and it was a deliberate, political choice to not address the problem. It’s 2021 in the USA, the “greatest country in the world”, people froze to death because a government could not provide basic infrastructure and they have chose to do….NOTHING. Not a damn thing. How can they get away with such an egregious failure of responsibility, you ask? By keeping the public divided over race, guns and distraction issues. Flags are symbols that mean whatever we decide they mean. Let’s all access some higher brain function and be above this manipulation so we can hold power to account.
We truly are lost. I fear all the worst parts of the Bible are soon to come true. To see so many negative comments from both sides is sad. I honestly feel that if the graduating class didn’t have a problem with it then why do all of you? It was their graduation and their moment. Congratulations to those that graduated! Hopefully you all can make this world better than we have for you. Be safe everyone and God bless you all.
Had that young man been waving an American flag, this topic would have never made news in the Mayberry Gazette…. Whoop There It is!
Your right it wouldn’t have been an issue at all because they graduated from Brenham High School located in Texas which is one state of the United States of America! NOT MEXICO! It not that it was a Mexican flag I would have been upset is someone from China was flying a Communist Chinese flag also or maybe one from the Middle East. People that come here can be proud of where they came from but need to learn how to assimilate to our culture. I dare you to fly an American flag in one of these other countries see how that works out for you.
My son was one of the graduates, and I am SHOCKED that this conversation has gone on this long…..we are all people no matter what we look like we should embrace each other. WHEN WILL THE RACISM END. My son is going off to college and I worry because he is black man. Even though he his highly educated and has been a great son all this world will see is a black man. I pray every day for his safety. I CHOSE LOVE NOT HATE!!
Leve it alone this is a free country
Amen ?
Just curious as to how this all got shifted to whites? We were sitting behind two black families at graduation and they were complaining about it as well. So who are the real racists again?
Meanwhile in other countries people graduating would love to wave a USA flag
Sooo the staff at BHS graduation was not watching the students, what the heck. what if the student had a rifle wrapped up in the flag sleeve!!!! Jees people!
I watched the graduation on the website and was very upset when I saw the display of flags and other items on the students. My first thought was “Don’t you like it here at BHS?” I have no children in school anymore, but I still have to pay those high school taxes each year, so I think my opinion should count also! Could this be what is wrong with our country today? No rules and everyone do what you want?
No, who likes it here at BISD? Anyways, we can’t simply embrace what we are proud of. Que viva la raza ??????????????????????
What I can not understand is how this young man can disrespect the country that gave him the right to a free education and everything that came with it. There is nothing wrong with being proud of your heritage. But there is a time and place for everything. This was not the time or place.
David, I agree 100%!!
Kathy, you are SO right!
I agree with you ,we must have some sort of rules to live by.We just cant run all a muck.Our country was good until we had rules.Now everybody wants to put their two sense in.You must have order are you will have nothing but chaos in this country.This country was founded on God.If you come here from another country you are agreeing to live by the laws of the United States of America.If you love your country then stay in your country.Why come here bif you want to fly your countries flag. You are being disgraceful to America.The only flag that should be flown here is the American Flag and the Texas Flag.Where is your respect for the place that gave you your education. If you want to fly a mexico flag,let them pay for your education.
You people are so anal! It is not illegal to fly the flag that represents a person’s ancestral homeland. If it upsets you then perhaps you should seek some medical care or psychiatric help. IT IS NOT ILLEGAL and there was no law broken during the BHS graduation. There are many fine people from other countries and cultures who ARE AMERICAN citizens. I guess it is too bad they are not all what you call “white”. Fly your flags! This nation was founded on religious and political freedom! Those “people” who are so “anal” that they cannot accept are free to move to another country. We will start a GoFundMe to help.
If they are so proud, why are they here? Asking for a friend… I’m a proud “Texan”, I’ve had opportunities to move elsewhere for things such as a better job, but I chose to stay in the state I’m proud to be from. Texas history is unique and unlike any other, I’ll never leave the place I’m proud of.
“You people” what do you mean “you people”? How racist are you??
What if they flew the American flag and the Mexican flag. What’s it matter to you anyways? All you people flying your confederate flag with the Texas flag have no right to speak.
I mean, confederate flags have no business flying either. Thankfully I don’t see them as much a bunker!
Brenham this is sad. Are you all just looking for something to be negative about? Everyone should be able to have their moment and celebrate this big accomplishment how ever they like as long as it doesn’t harm anyone. So stop being so sensitive and remember this is 2021 and America land of the free. Don’t mess up this celebration for the following grads to come behind negativity. Again Brenham is BETTER TOGETHER! This is regardless of ethnicity and believes and always remember we all bleed red so we are as one! THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD WHO CREATED ALL!!
Thank You. Well said, Wish I had said it.
Well said ?
Lol! Thank you BHS! I’ll be bringing my Antifa flag!! That will make for some great class photos!
Good! We can make sure that BLACK LIVES MATTER flags are flanking your Antifa flag on the right and left. Do you even know what Antifa stands for?
Do you?
Pretty sure Antifa stands for Anti Fascist even though they act more like fascists than the people they claim to be fascist most of the time.
Hey cool! My grandfather was Antifa! He lied about his age to go fight as a Marine in WWII at age 16. See, the bad guys in that war were called fascists. They didn’t believe in things like the right to vote, or fair elections, or representative democracy at all. “Anti” means to be against something. So Anti + Fascism = Antifa. My grandfather was Antifa, and so am I, and so should anyone calling themselves an American.
Here’s a definition of the word Fascism from Dictionary.com: a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism. Sound familiar?
We will be sure to have our Pride flag out for the ceremony! If what happened on Saturday was a little much for y’all…, you haven’t seen anything yet!
This is a country of freedoms! Free to respond, look the other way or ignore. Get that flag ready!
It was a perfect ceremony. Congrats to the students, teachers and the Board. Trying to be PC on THEIR special day is stupid . 99.9% of all there had a joyous time so don’t ruin it for future grads and stop being a Fuddy Duddy. These are great kids offered the 1st full freedom from being a kid millions fought for.
I want to defend myself from attacks from my previous comment.
My main issue was for the safety of the students due to the extreme waving that was being done when some of his friends walked across the stage. He was so close to hitting people in the head on his backswing and his foreswing. “Swung wildly” was EXACTLY what it was, not some attempt to throw shade.
During the ceremony, I was not concerned with it being another nation’s flag. If a student of Polish heritage did the same thing, I would have the same reaction. For that matter, it could have been a baseball player with a bat and I would have felt the same way.
After the ceremony and pictures had been taken, I became concerned that the guy out in front of everyone else with a flag in every picture was a little much. “Hogging” was EXACTLY what it was.
Look at the pic in this story and see everyone lined up and the one guy out front. That’s a great pic for the memory, but wouldn’t they also like a traditional one with everyone lined up together? Without Photoshop?
BISD, please allow flags, but restrict them from being swung dangerously.
If safety was your concern, than you should’ve started there. You say that now because of all the comments you recieved.
That statement provides NO clarification. Next year at graduation I will provide my children with German flags. Perhaps others will do the same with the flags of their choice. Will the confederate flag be accepted? What about the flag of communist China? Once again the leadership of BISD will not endorse a firm rule for fear of offending certain groups.
Just a copout from Brenham ISD. By next year there will be a “No flags policy in place”. What else would you expect from this small minded, racist town?
Yes. My flag of choice will be the Mexican flag?
I think it is amazing and such an honor for a person to waive their flag of origin country (or family origin country) as means of celebration. I would love to see all the students who have a different country of origin proudly waive their country’s flag along side the USA flag. I hope this gets encouraged further for graduations to come. There can be rules established to make sure the displaying is safe but I think it is very important for BHS to make sure these different countries flags be represented to honor those students. Imagine a ceremony with proud graduates being represented proudly. That is a display of being a proud American.
And BISD should NOT endorse a rule to satisfy a small segment of the tax paying public just because they have issues with cultural pride or flag waving. How silly! America is a nation where anyone and everyone has a Constitutional right to be proud of their cultural heritage. Perhaps some misguided people are confused about what represents “American” values. Is it blond hair and blue eyes? Do those of Mexican or Latino or Asian descent represent “American” values? Do those of African-American cultures reflect and have the right to represent “American” values. Your German flag probably will not impress nor upset anyone of normal intelligence. Try hard not to let the flags of other nations being waved upset you!
Texas was part of the Confederacy and I don’t think a Confederate flag would have been appropriate..
But you all still wave them and parade them around.
It would not! The Confederacy is dead and no longer exists! The USA DOES NOT fly the flag of England, Britain nor the UK.
I wonder why!
Six Flags over Texas was a thing. Spain, France, Mexico, Texas, U.S.A, Confederacy, and back to the good old U.S.A.
In America, we are very lucky that we still have the freedom of speech and expression.
If this young fella enjoyed his day, good for him. I personally do not think waving a flag of a different country at a High School graduation in America, that is not American, is a good idea, but maybe it was for him. If his celebration was interfering with everyone else’s good time or photo opportunity, then maybe he was being selfish, or just a dumb kid.
It sounds like this was the High School’s fault for allowing props, banners, or flags to be flown in the first place. Blame the BISD, not the young man.
The same reason that Texas does not fly the flag of Mexico. Interesting to see so many defending the flags of other nations and spitting all over their own. Hope you all enjoy the Communism that’s nearly here.
Communism is not nearly here, or even approaching. There are no “Commies” in the Democratic party. No Communist proposals to take away private property and end personal ownership or whatever. There ARE proposals to bring taxes back to a fair level for the rich (I didn’t say raise taxes, because their taxes were already unnecessarily lowered). When tax cuts that benefit the rich and the corporate bottom line are passed, the tax burden gets shifted to the rest of us. Schools still need funding, infrastructure still needs maintaining, military still needs funding, etc. When you have billions of dollars to spare, you can fund “think tanks” and own new outlets and can use that influence to get regular people fight their fights for them. They would rather spend billions in PR and bribing politicians than actually pay their fair share, even to the detriment of the nation. Instead of accepting a fair tax burden, they attack the institutions funded by our taxes. Raising taxes on the rich benefits YOU and ever city in America. Falsely labeling fair taxation of the rich as Communism or Socialism, or Marxism is not only completely false, but is a perfect Orwellian distortion of language to get YOU to vote against your own best interests. Using words you do not understand as pejoratives just makes you a pawn of the rich, fighting their fights for them while they break society for a bump in profits. We’re much closer to a system in which government merges with corporate power, ala Mussolini.
Orwell was Right, you nailed it. Communism is knocking at the door, and the glorification of other countries while vilifying our America is heartbreaking.
Communism is going to set this country right! You just wait and see.
Texas belonged to France first! Get you history right people or dont they teach that anymore at BHS.
If you want to talk about getting history right, Texas was part of Spain before it was part of France. Maybe do your own research before bringing your ignorance into a slant against BHS Staff and Students.
Jaun is referring to a earlier statement that someone put about mexico owning Texas first, that was wholly incorrect and would also open the door for Confederate flags to be there also. Texas has had 6 flags flown over it I think. But thats the past. We are supposed to be in the now. This is America now and the United Statesadt time i looked.
Texas belonged to Native Americans first, it gets lost in the narrative, but we’re all immigrants here.
Very fair point, my friend.
What I see is a bunch of other men and ladies from other countries want a better education and freedom. They would not have that opportunity in there given countries. That’s why they come to America. I personal have no problem with them wanting a better life for themselves. How ever I do have a problem with the men and ladies that move here to become American citizens for our freedom and opportunity’s. Not saying do not be proud of where you are from. But be proud of being an American and the awsome opportunity’s this country gave. THAT MEAMS ITS TIME TO BE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN AND RESPECT OUR FLAG.ALL OTHER COUNTRIES CAN NOT COME CLOSE TO AMERICA. DO NOT DISCRIMINATE AMERICA OR MY FLAG. YOU CAN ALLWAYS GO BACK TO THE COUNTRIES WHERE YOU ARE FROM.
FED UP you are so right!