Sebring wrote that while the flag is a “symbol of Southern heritage and tradition for some,” it represents “racial prejudice and divisiveness for others.” He now meets occasionally with a student advisory committee to give students with different perspectives on the decision a forum to air their opinions. Some principals in Georgia, in particular, moved to ban Confederate symbols after the state legislature, responding to intense pressure from civil rights groups, changed the state flag last year to minimize the Confederate emblem.
“We’re focused on student achievement, and anything that distracts from that goal we have to deal with.” Sebring, 42, a soft- spoken Florida native who mingles easily with his students and rarely closes his office door. “If it’s disruptive to the learning environment, that’s the key to me,” said Mr. Supreme Court has twice declined to hear cases involving students who were disciplined for displaying the flag.īill Sebring, the principal of the 1,800-student high school 35 miles north of Atlanta, says that he understands the frustration over his decision, but that his rationale was simple. Most federal courts, however, have sided with administrators who prohibit displays of the symbol. The passionate response to the ban shows how difficult it is for school administrators to deal with the volatile issue of the Confederate flag.
