Exclusive: Coral Reef High Students Disciplined After Confederate Flag Brought To Campus
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Three students at Coral Reef Senior High were disciplined after a Confederate flag was brought to school and a picture appeared on social media.
In a statement, Miami-Dade Public Schools Officials wrote, "Miami-Dade County Public Schools respects and encourages freedom of speech and expression, but our priority is to ensure we maintain an environment conducive to teaching and learning. Three 12th-grade Coral Reef Senior High School students involved in the incident last week were disciplined in accordance with the District's Code of Student Conduct for disrupting the educational process. The students have expressed regret for their actions."
CBS4's Peter D'Oench spoke to students leaving campus Monday afternoon.
"It's really bad. It means a lot of bad things about slavery and racism," said ninth-grader Mia Amato.
The Confederate flag has come under heavy fire in recent years with many saying it is a symbol of racism.
"I saw a picture of a guy with a Confederate flag holding it. It was a Twitter thing," said ninth-grader Nia Paz.
Parent Raquel Paz wasn't happy at all. "I think it's really sad. It is not the sort of place for these children to take either side of politics. They have much more to learn. It's is just sad."
Eleven grader Nadira Elamin agreed.
"It has a negative connotation. People do have the right to free speech but I would advise against doing this sort of thing. It has a negative connotation to it."
Deyja Sullivan, also an 11th grader, finds the image of the confederate flag in her school particularly offensive.
"People do have the right to free speech but I think it's a little bit messed up because of what the flag can stand for and what it still stands for Now. As a black person and as a black woman and as a minority, it kind of scares me a little bit. People in high school are immature. They don't know how to handle freedom of speech properly. You don't just bring a flag here. It could incite a whole lot of violence and issue we don't need here."