Texas students disciplined for wearing Confederate clothing at school

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – Some Houston-area high school students have been disciplined for wearing Confederate flag attire to school.

One of the Pearland High School students shown in a photo that made the rounds on social media Friday morning was wearing a Confederate stars and bars sleeveless t-shirt and another was wearing a cap.

Civil rights leaders and some parents were outraged.

“We got confederate flags walking down a hallway, “How is that child able to even make it on campus?” asked Eugene Howard, President of Brazoria County NAACP.

He said the incident was meant to intimidate Black students because the Confederacy fought “to own people like me,” and his organization won’t stand for it.

“School houses are supposed to be educational safe spaces,” said Howard.

Administrators sent the students home to change at 10:30 a.m., but Felicha Jones, founder of Smart Scholars Foundation, says that wasn’t soon enough.

“From 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., this child was allowed to walk the campus, the hallways of this school and nothing was done about it,” said Jones.

A statement from the Pearland School District said the students’ violation of the district dress code was unacceptable.

“Per the Pearland ISD dress code, apparel or accessories which include cultural divisiveness and racial intolerance may not be worn,” read the statement obtained by KTSA News. “Appropriate disciplinary action has taken place in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.”

The district says all students, faculty and staff are welcome at Pearland ISD.

“We teach and model tolerance for all, and the diverse community of Pearland promotes a level of inclusiveness for which we are proud.”