Anderson Co. student files lawsuit over Confederate flag



November 20, 2006

KNOXVILLE (WATE) — An Anderson County student who was suspended for wearing Confederate-themed
clothing to school has filed a lawsuit claiming his First Amendment rights were
violated.

According to the suit filed Monday in U.S. Federal District Court in Knoxville,
the high school student was suspended twice in the last month for refusing to
remove or cover the Confederate flag on his clothing.

The principal told him the Confederate-symbol is banned at Anderson County
High School.

"They say it’s going to cause racial problems, racial disruptions,"
said attorney Van Irion. "Fortunately, there have not been any up ’till
now, isolated incidents."

This is the second lawsuit filed in Knoxville this year concerning Confederate
symbols. The first case, involving three Blount County students, is pending
trial.

In that case, filed in March, three William Blount High students asked a judge
to throw out the Blount County School Board’s dress code banning the representation
of the Confederate flag on clothes

© Copyright 2000 – 2006 WorldNow and WATE

On The Web:
http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=5708803&nav=0RYv