22 Suspended for Wearing Confederate Flag

At least 22 students were handed suspensions at Virginia's Christiansburg High School today for violating the dress code—but this was no case of exposed shoulders or short skirts. The students arrived at school wearing the Confederate flag on their clothes and refused to change to comply with school policy, which prohibits signs, decals, and articles of clothing "that reflect adversely on people because of race, gender, or other factors," per the AP. A Montgomery County Public Schools rep tells WSLS the students were given one-day in-school suspensions, but most became unruly and were then handed an out-of-school punishment instead.

The News Messenger reports a group of students, which school officials said numbered 22 or 23, was seen standing together in the school’s parking lot wearing Confederate flag apparel around 7:30am. A witness says they didn't appear to be protesting as they had no signs and weren't shouting any slogans. WSLS notes a recently adopted policy at the school requires students to sign a declaration that they will not put Confederate flag decals on their vehicles before they are issued a parking pass. Three students were asked to remove such decals on the first day of school back in August; all complied. (More Confederate flag stories.)