Confederate flag banned at North Bend schools

North Bend, Ore. – The North Bend School District has banned the Confederate flag after a fight broke out on campus that allegedly began with racist threats and slurs.

North Bend High School’s vice principal Jake Smith told the World Link wearing an article of clothing with a symbol of the Confederacy could be seen as an attempt to intimidate, “and the threat if you wear that hat I’ll beat you up could be too.”

School authorities said a female student came to school wearing a hat with a Confederate flag on it, which led to a physical altercation with another female student.

Superintendent Bill Yester said, “If it is a disruption, we can ban it. We believe that everybody is equal and anything that interrupts education, a Confederate flag or something else, just can’t be at the school.”

A press release explained the ban isn’t a violation of free expression because school officials have the legal authority to “maintain an environment free of harassment.