Mexican-American Live Oak High School students March for Respect

Si se puede.

I hate to break this to the Hispanic students at Live Oak High School, but you live and are receiving an education in … The United States of America. Some 200 students left school and marched in Moran Hill yesterday following the news that four students have the audacity to wear red, white and blue clothing on Cinco de Mayo.

Hispanic students march down Monterey Road in Morgan Hill on Thursday morning asking for respect after Live Oak High School Principal Nick Boden ignited a controversy Wednesday by sending home five students who wore American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo. (Photo by: MorganHill Times Staff)

Here is a quick teaching moment to the misguided Mexican-American HS students:

You know, that very US Constitution that allowed you to march down the street in protest for respect is the very same Constitution that allows these four boys and any one for that fact to where any clothing that they chose.

If you think this is how you gain respect, you are in for a long tough life folks. Respect is a two way street. If you want others to respect your point of view, then you must also find it in your self to respect theirs, especially when the 4 kids wearing the US flag clothing did nothing wrong.

About 200 Hispanic teens are marching in Morgan Hill yelling “We want respect!” and “Si se puede!” in reaction to a controversy ignited when the Live Oak High School principal effectively sent four students home for wearing T-shirts with American flags on them during Cinco de Mayo.

Mexican-American students felt the students were being disrespectful on the only day they celebrate their heritage while students sporting red, white and blue said it violated their First Amendment rights.

Six police cars and a Morgan Hill motorcycle officer have been cruising alongside the large group as it marches.

The group – mostly high school students – walked out of school this morning after the story of four students who were sent home because they wore American flag T-shirts went viral on TV and online. Many wear red, white and green and two large Mexico flags can be seen at the front of the line.

The students say they want people to know they’re proud of their heritage and they believe wearing red, white and blue on Cinco de Mayo is disrespectful.

Many of the students are from Live Oak High School, who left school around 11 a.m. this morning and decided to march to the school district headquarters just north of Tennant Avenue. When they arrived, they were told to leave.

“We did this to support the Latino-Hispanic community,” said Francine Roa, who graduated from Live Oak in 2005. She brought her 2-year-old son, Elias Martinez, on the march.

She said it’s a peaceful march to support Mexican-Americans in Morgan Hill.

The crowd is en route to Morgan Hill City Hall on Peak Avenue.

Maybe some one at this high school can actually use this as a teaching moment to the Mexican-American students who think that some how wearing red, white and blue USA patriotic colors is disrespectful while attending a school in the United States of America.

It is actually troubling and speaks volumes to the narrow minded idiocy of a student that would make such a comment. Like it or not folks, you live in the United States. Principal Miguel Rodriguez could use a good US Constitution lesson as well, maybe one in discrimination as well … or maybe just a good civil law suit.

Principal Miguel Rodriguez told them to wear the clothes inside out or go home. At least two of the boys left campus because they found the other option to be “disrespectful” to the flag, and the others remained in school without changing, their parents said.

Rodriguez could not be reached for comment — the school referred all calls to the district office.

In the end the School Board had to cry uncle and reverse the decision as they were clearly in the wrong.

District Superintendent Wesley Smith issued a statement Thursday: “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 matter is under investigation and appropriate action will be taken.”