Following the firestorm of comments and news stories about four
Live Oak teens who were sent home for wearing American flag
T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo, Superintendent Dr. Wes Smith addressed
every parent in the district through a mass voicemail sent Thursday
evening.
Following the firestorm of comments and news stories about four Live Oak teens who were sent home for wearing American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo, Superintendent Dr. Wes Smith addressed every parent in the district through a mass voicemail.
The message was sent Thursday evening. Here is an unedited transcription of the message:
“Good evening. This is Dr. Wesley Smith, Superintendent of the Morgan Hill Unified School District.
The Morgan Hill Unified School District does not prohibit nor do we discourage wearing patriotic clothing. The incident on May 5 at Live Oak High School is extremely unfortunate. While campus safety is our primary concern and administrators made decisions yesterday in an attempt to ensure campus safety, students should not, and will not, be disciplined for wearing patriotic clothing. This situation and our response are under review.
We know that this is an emotionally charged topic. We would ask you to encourage your students to be safe and focus on their academics while in school. If conversations and/or activities are necessary to express their feelings on this issue, we will find appropriate venues that do not disturb student learning or jeopardize the safety of our students. Furthermore, we encourage everyone to demonstrate respect for each other, open communication, and responsibility.
Thank you for your support and understanding.”
