Only On 9: Punches Fly At Apple Valley High School In Fight Over Confederate Flag Belt Buckle
APPLE VALLEY (CBSLA.com) The fight over the Confederate flag -- some call it history, others call it an embarrassment -- has literally come to Apple Valley.
Punches were thrown following a heated debate at Apple Valley High School.
KCAL9's Crystal Cruz said the blows were caught on grainy cellphone video.
It's a story that is Only On 9.
"I just don't want him around here hitting on my child. It's not fair. It's not fair," said Annie Williams, a mom.
Williams says her 14-year-old son, Christopher, was punched multiple times last week after he questioned another student at Apple Valley about wearing a Confederate flag belt buckle.
"I can understand if I threatened him. I can understand if I threatened his family. I can understand if I shoved him or participated in a physical altercation but I didn't and he kept on, just kept on hitting," said Christopher.
The district superintendent confirmed to Cruz that disciplinary action has been taken against the student seen throwing punches.
Williams and her son both want the district to ban Confederate flag clothing worn on campus.
"Let's take all this junk away. Why keep the hate going?," says Annie.
"It is not okay. The Confederate flag is a symbol of hatred, period," Christopher said.
Superintendent Thomas E. Hoegerman told Cruz that Confederate flag clothing isn't banned because the school would have to ban a long list of clothes. He said staff can request students remove controversial clothing on a case by case basis.
