Parents Upset Over Use Of Confederate Flag In Promotion Of 'Romeo & Juliet' School Play
WESTLAKE VILLAGE (CBSLA.com) — A banner promoting the play "Romeo & Juliet" has been taken down after some parents of students at Westlake High School shared concerns over the use of a Confederate flag.
Parents Sedrick Blount and Angelina Sanchez couldn't believe the school allowed the Confederate flag to be used in a banner. They were told the flag represented the theme "Romeo & Juliet" post-Civil war.
"That represents hatred, racism and just pure evil," Blount said, while Sanchez said: "The Confederate flag is just not a good advertisement."
Parents say the banner had been up for a few days but it was taken down Friday afternoon after they took their concerns to school administrators and the superintendent.
They say the banner was offensive and shouldn't have gone up in the first place.
"It can leave a confusing message to children who are vulnerable. It's like, 'What are we saying to them?' " Sanchez said.
But Stella Mandell, who came to see her niece perform in the play, said they banner was symbolic of what the play was about.
"I'm just looking at it from an artistic point of view because we are supporting the arts. This is symbolic of what the play is about. Bottom line," she said.
Jacquelyn Aguilera, a Westlake High School senior, said: "I think the school should try to be a little more culturally conscientious."
"I have full faith that they will going forward not make these types of mistakes," Blount added.
CBSLA reached out to the superintendent's office for comment Friday during business hours but that call wasn't returned. However, concerned parents said they received an apology from administrators.