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Confederate Flag Touches Off Controversy At
Farmington High School


Created: 1/26/2007

(KSDK) – Bryce Archambo’s supporters spoke out on his behalf Friday
night across the street from Farmington High School.

On Sept. 27, Bryce, 14, was sent to the school office because
of his attire, the day after he was told not to wear a hat displaying
the confederate flag.

"I had a hat shirt and belt buckle. The shirt said, ‘Rebel
born, rebel bred, I’ll be a rebel ’til the day I’m dead,’ said
Archambo. He was also wearing a hat that said the same thing.

When Archambo refused to change clothes, his parents picked him
up and removed him from school.

Archambo and his parents have filed a lawsuit against the school
district claiming his constitutional rights were violated.

"I think a person should have the right to wear whatever
they want, whatever it is. I’m not going to ask somebody to change
a shirt if they have a Malcolm X shirt."

Among those supporting Archambo is H.K. Edgerton, the former
president of the Asheville, N.C., branch of the NAACP.

Edgerton says the Confederate flag represents the accomplishments
of not only whites, but blacks who lived in the south during the
Civil War.

"Not just the ones who went off and fought and built bridges
but what about those who stayed at home? What about all those
women who went to those gunpowder factories that look like me?"
said Edgerton, who is African-American.

What Archambo calls his heritage, others see as a symbol of slavery
and segregation.

Tony Caruthers, a senior at Farmington High School, is the child
of a Caucasian mother and an African-American father. He has openly
protested Archambo’s efforts to wear the flag of the Confederacy.

"I’m personally offended because it hurts my family when
they see it and I believe it’s inappropriate."

Archambo is being home-schooled. Legal proceedings will begin
at the end of February.

Archambo said if he wins his case he plans on returning to Farmington
High School.

District officials could not be immediately reached for comment
Friday night.