INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — In response to recent events where a group of students at Vero Beach High School wore Confederate flag paraphernalia to school, the local branch of the NAACP has urged the School District of Indian River County to ban students wearing the paraphernalia altogether.
The Indian River County branch of the NAACP held a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in front of the District headquarters, 6500 57th Street, Vero Beach. At least 30 people, including parents, were in attendance.
Posted by Nick Samuel on Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Five people spoke at the conference, including Tony Brown, president of the local NAACP branch, Merchon Green, founder of Pioneering Change, Inc., Cate Wenzing, Chair of the Democrats of Indian River County, Donald Hart, member of the NAACP and Rev. Benny Rhyant of the Pastor’s Association.
Their message to the District – change the school policy to ban any Confederate flag paraphernalia and to only use the the flag for educational purposes. After the conference, Brown met with the District Superintendent Dr. Mark Rendell to address the issue.
These concerns stem from last Thursday when a student wore a Confederate flag hoodie to Vero Beach High School, 1707 16th St., according to Green. Since then, groups of students have been coming to the school wearing Confederate flag hoodies and draping the flags around their bodies.
In an emailed statement, Rendell said the District will “not let the actions of a few students jeopardize the educational environment of the rest of the students.”
Vero Beach High School Principal Shawn O’Keefe said the incidents have not caused any disruption to education and that there were no reports brought to school administration or campus law enforcement of discrimination, bullying or harassment.
He said the students involved were addressed to ensure there is a clear understanding of policies and rights, and their parents were notified by school administration. There were no suspensions.
A student at VBHS wears a Confederate flag hoodie in a classroom.
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY NAACP local chapter
Green said the flag incidents have caused outrage in other students and parents and that a lot of students went home because of safety concerns.
“The Confederate flag is used as intimidation and to incite violence,” Green said. “It’s not necessary in our school system.”
Green said some students have received threats and that there have been students who have posted pictures on Snapchat of the Confederate flag with a threatening message such as “rednecks vs everyone else tomorrow.”
