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To Pinellas County School Board members: I had the privilege of attending your regular board meeting Feb. 10, and I was appalled at the level of leadership that was shown to African-Americans in general and particularly to our Pinellas County school students.
The subject centered on the Confederate flag item board member Mary Brown presented to the board. She wanted the board to look at procedures and policies to arrive at a resolution that would be acceptable to all who might be offended by the display of the Confederate flag.
Her question about what would happen if a faculty members wore to work a T-shirt with the Confederate flag on it has yet to be answered by Superintendent Howard Hinesley.
I could not believe what I was hearing when School Board members said they would have to study the issue and could not see the problem with this issue, based on their research. They did not know that just seeing the reminders every day will bring back pain that African-Americans had to endure in the times when the flag was the highlight of fear and terror for a class of people. One member went so far as to say that she did not see what people would be offended by when seeing this flag displayed in the school environment.
You are School Board members who provide leadership to students hoping to be educated. I cannot believe that this is leadership that would minimize people's accomplishments as well as their fears. It was so humiliating sitting through this and being offended by those who said they are educators.
This flag historically has been flown in the face of African-Americans in the South as a reminder of what was in place during the time when people of color were targets for lynching. To have our children go through this should not be tolerated. They should not be subjected to this kind of reminder. You can't see the need to discuss this type of issue intelligently because you have not been the victim of terror under this flag.
It is always disappointing to me, when these kinds of issues come to light, that you say we are too sensitive and make a big deal about nothing. The Civil Rights Act was put in place to protect a special class of people who felt offended or discriminated against based on race, etc. The whites never felt the need to have a law that protected them from those types of issues because some of them were the ones waving the flag.
I want my children to know that they don't have to fear someone wearing a shirt that reminds them of hurt, pain and lynching while they are in school to learn, and I will not have them wearing any shirt that would make any other race feel intimidated, either.
Re: Rudeness in Clearwater disillusioning and Deposits could help rid Largo of litter, letters, Feb. 3.
Both writers wrote of the litter left on the beach and how offended they were by this. They both mentioned they were tourists and winter visitors. Don't they stop to think that visitors and tourists are the folks who are most likely responsible? Most people who live here are too busy working to be spending their days at the beach.
So, don't blame Clearwater. Blame the people who believe being on vacation gives them the right to leave their manners at home.
Just a thought... since Clearwater feels a cinema is needed, wouldn't the Harborview site be a suitable location, not only for the people of Clearwater but the beach tourists, as well?