High School Cheerleaders' 'Stand For The Flag' Shirt Deemed 'Racist,' Shut Down
by Holly MatkinA fundraiser for the Dodge County High School cheerleaders quickly turned political and was shut down.
Dodge County, GA – A high school cheerleading team’s t-shirt fundraiser has become a topic of heated debate, after critics deemed the attire “politically divisive” and racist.
“In Dodge County, we stand for the flag, kneel for the cross. That’s Indian Pride,” the shirt read, along with images of an American flag and a cross.
Heart of Georgia Signs and Tees designer Lisa Hartley said she has been designing the Dodge County High School cheerleaders’ fundraising shirts for several years, and that she generally presents the squad’s sponsors with three different designs to choose from each season, The Dodge County News reported.
“They pick what they want and approve it, and we make them,” said Hartley, who personally designed the shirt chosen this year.
“It was not meant to offend anyone or be racial. There was no hidden agenda in it,” she said. “For years, our football players have stood when the National Anthem is played, and they pray before the game. When a player gets hurt, they kneel. I considered that to mean that our Dodge County parents have raised their children right, and felt like it was respectful.”
The cheerleaders began selling the shirts on Aug. 10, but quickly ran into opposition after critics began posting photos and comments about the shirts on social media.
“The shirt sends a message of exclusion, not inclusion, and someone should have been able to recognize that,” former Dodge County student and current high school teacher Taelor Rye told The Dodge County News.
“People should keep in mind that purpose of the political protest that the shirt references [kneeling during the National Anthem] is to shed light on the injustices of police brutality, particularly toward Black people and other people of color – not to disrespect soldiers or veterans,” Rye added.
He then scolded those who did not agree with his perspective.
“I hope that everyone who does not see the problems with the design and distribution of the shirt can recognize that other perspectives exist and that they are valid,” Rye said. “We should all work to be more empathetic, more compassionate, and more accepting.”
In a since-deleted Facebook post, Dodge County School Board member Shirley Ikedionwu referred to the shirts as “exclusionary” and “offensive,” FOX News reported.
“This shirt is not only one-sided but offensive,” Ikedionwu railed. “I can’t imagine how our children would feel entering a place that is supposed to be welcoming and accepting of students from all walks of life, beliefs, and perspectives – but instead, they are faced with this type of exclusionary message.”
Resident Deneen McCloud agreed, but took her argument even a step further.
"It stands for the hurt of black people getting killed, beat by police officers, and getting off with it. So therefore, we as black people, some of us have taken that, to us, that's what it looks like," McLeod told WMAZ.
According to FOX News, Ikedionwu said that she voiced her concerns about the t-shirts to school administrators, and that she successfully got the fundraiser shut down.
“At this point, the shirt will no longer be sold,” the school board member declared.
But some community members had a different idea – and simply began selling the shirt off-campus.
People have been purchasing the shirts directly from Hartley’s shop, and surrounding counties have also contacted her wanting the shirt design for their schools, The Dodge County News reported.
White Hat Auto manager Nikki Mullis, whose business began selling the shirts to help the team, said that people from all over the world have contacted her to help out with the fundraiser.
On Thursday, she shipped three shirts to Afghanistan, she said.
“I’m standing because it has the United States flag on it and the cross. Those are two things I will back any day of the week,” Mullis told FOX News. “This ain’t just Georgia anymore. We are a community that when something happens, we are all together.”
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Resident Bill Tripp said he saw nothing wrong with the shirt, and that it simply represented the culture of the area.
“The South is known for being the Bible Belt,” Tripp said, according to FOX News. “If you can’t stand for the flag and you can’t stand for the cross – I don’t know what you can stand for.”
School Superintendent Michael Ward said that the t-shirts do not violate the school’s dress code, and that they will not prohibit students from wearing them, WMAZ reported.
"There's no violation of anything right now. As long as it's not vulgar or obscene, they're within the dress code policy," Ward said.
40 Responses
Blue_lives_Matter
Aug 27, 2018 @Nighthawk644 if you really wish to order these t-shirts there is a link in the article where you can order one or several. I know I just ordered mine. Again it's more liberal BS because the students believe in our country and our God whereas liberals don't believe in either!! Show the live towards believe in free speech as long as you're free speech agrees with their free speech. God help you if it doesn't because then you are classified as a racist and you hate America because you believe in God and respect our flag as well as praising our president. 8 years of Obama started this mess when he's vilified police officers and put targets or bull's-eyes on each and every one of our Leo's. I applaud these cheerleaders for the love of country and faith in God. Those school board members and teachers that disagree and claim that it is racist definitely need to be fired and voted out of office
Ligoon01
Aug 26, 2018 Kneeling during the National Anthem is about the most racist thing there is today. Those who choose to stand for the Anthem are racist??? I think someone might have been dropped on their head a few too many times. What a big fat load of crap!!!!I would LOVE to have one of those shirts, and Yes I stand for the National Anthem and I keel to pray.
Fire_and_Steel
Aug 25, 2018 Something tells me school board member Shirley Ikedionwu will be getting fewer votes in the next election, if she runs. Wondering if she'll see a defeat at the polls as "racist," too.
Katarina
Aug 25, 2018 Here are the email addresses for the School Board member that filed the complaint that got the fundraiser shut down. sikedionwu@dodge.k12.ga.us and Dodge County School Board: www.dodge.k12.ga.us
Katarina
Aug 25, 2018 I believe the kneeling started in August of 2016 before the election to protest the myth of police brutality. Haven't paid much attention since. If they want to protest a myth, I can protest, too. Haven't paid attention to NFL since. If you commit a crime and LE arrests you, you WILL be taken into custody. The amount of force necessary to accomplish that is decided by the person being arrested, not the police. Thousands of people are arrested every day without brutality--because they didn't fight and cause it to become physical.
satmantoo
Aug 25, 2018 @RunCop simple and to the point!
Oldlefty56
Aug 24, 2018 UNBELIEVABLE! Isn’t there something in this country called “freedom of speech?” The only thing wrong with what these people did is... well... NOTHING!!!
Farmgirl1115
Aug 24, 2018 The flag represents more than just any injustice in this country. The flag is a symbol of freedom, liberty, democracy. It represents the unity of America, the 50 states of our one great country. It symbolizes hope for so many. But it has been used, and abused, as a symbol for racial injustice and police brutality. That is not what that flag is for. How is any individual or group saying "stand for the flag" any different than an individual or group kneeling for the flag to voice their opinion? What's the difference? Either way it is freedom of speech, but if anyone disagrees with the louder voices of the activists, they are deemed wrong and "shut down." What about the cross? Even if you are not Christian, the people who are have the right to sell the shirts, buy the shirts, and wear the shirts. Where do you draw the line? I see people wearing offensive shirts that have ugly language or vulgar sayings on them. It's offensive to me and I don't understand it, but it's their right. This is no different. People need to back off and let the kids sell the shirts. If you don't want one, don't buy one. If you think it's wrong, don't wear it. For those who commented about how divisive it is, I say it's not a shirt that's divisive; it is a state of mind of some people that is divisive.
RunCop
Aug 24, 2018 Liberal fricken crybabies !
HoldUpASec
Aug 24, 2018 I can't help but wonder what value any of you find in sharing these repetitive, closed-minded and frequently inaccurate "facts" and sentiments. Especially when any comment that doesn't agree with you is quickly deleted. In a conversation about how liberals censor opinions that don't align with their own. Although there certainly ARE liberals who are exactly like you've described, the majority vehemently do believe that there is racial injustice committed by SOME police officers, but are still not willing to go so far as to say that anyone who thinks otherwise is a "shit bag", "cry baby" "snow flake", or "invalid". This kind of mindset inherently can not produce literally any positive effect. If you want to engage with, and ultimately change the opinions of liberals, start by making contributions that are thoughtfully articulated and positively/verifiably factual. I'm not trying to start any fights, I just think if any of you has a valuable and/or unique perspective, it is being wasted only talking to other people who already aggressively agree with you