'We've crossed the line'

Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News

Sat, May 17 2008

— CUMBERLAND - Nearly 60 parents, school officials, law enforcement and civic leaders attended a meeting on Monday at Metropolitan AME Church in Cumberland to address growing concern of racial slurs and other hostile acts meant to intimidate students at Fort Hill High School.
A group of trucks has been seen parked near the school before and after school hours displaying the Confederate flag - long a symbol of a tradition of hatred and violence against African-Americans - since near the time school started last fall. The drivers of those trucks have been accused of bullying and scaring black students, black parents and white parents of black students in recent weeks.
The incidents have pushed one parent, Lakeal Ellis, to file a complaint with Carl Snowden, director of civil rights for the State's Attorney General's Office.
Until last week, Fort Hill Principal Steve Lewis has insisted the students had a right to display such material as long as they did so within the context of the law and did not intimidate anyone.
They've recently crossed the line, Lewis said, and announced that, as of Friday, he has banned the Confederate flag from being displayed on vehicles or articles of clothing on school grounds.
Tensions have been escalating in the past two weeks, Lewis said. He said he contacted parents of some students accused of making the derogatory remarks.
"When we called their parents, the same thing was said to us," Lewis said, declining to specify what comments were made.
"We've crossed the line," Lewis said of the students' behavior. "I've put an edict on Friday that I don't want to see the rebel flag" on shirts, hats, shoes or any other place.
Lewis reported on Monday there were no complaints of the Confederate flag being displayed.
"I think it's more inroads we've made in Allegany County in a long time," Lewis said.
Additionally, Lewis said that it's only a minority of the school's 950 students that are involved in the racially-charged incidents.
But local civic leaders, including the Rev. Alfred Deas Jr., AME Church pastor and Norma Blacke Bordeau, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, both know the issue won't go away anytime soon. Schools Superintendent Bill AuMiller, along with Allegany High School Principal Mike Calhoun, acknowledged the effort to erase racism will not be a short-term venture.
Bordeau encouraged that education of peace and tolerance begins at home and continues at church, school and other social settings. She warned that if the situation isn't resolved peacefully through dialogue with school officials and local police, the courts could become an option.
"I don't think we want to go there if we can avoid it," she said. "If at the local level, if things can not be resolved peacefully" the FBI also could be called in to assist.
"I don't want that," she said.
Bordeau acknowledged that "you can't change people's hearts" but can change their attitude and educate people of all ages about respecting others.
"We've got an issue here and we need to get it dealt with," said Charles "Robin" Woods, of Cumberland. "Racism in this county is alive and well. This community's got to change. Someone's going to get hurt, I'm afraid."
Walter Hughson, of Corriganville, said the display of the Confederate flag is clearly inappropriate and should be banned along with other articles of clothing associated with gang related incidents.
"Everybody knows what that flag means to us," Hughson said. "It's time to put a stop to this."
Melissa Pierre is the mother of two Fort Hill students. She said that a derogatory word was written on the bathroom wall over and over again. That, and threats made over the Internet have resulted in her kids "being scared to go to school."
Another parent of nine kids, five of whom are black, considers herself a contemporary mother who listens to rap and hip-hop - the edited versions, without the profanity. She said her drive to the school was blocked by a group of vehicles driven by students.
AuMiller noted the incidents are "not something that just started" but assured those at the meeting the school system is proactively addressing the issue within the limits of the law.
Parents have a chance to speak out at a parents advisory council meeting at 5 p.m. March 27 in the library at Mountain Ridge High School. Students are encouraged not to attend that meeting, officials said. Parents and students alike can attend the next meeting of the local chapter of the NAACP at 6 p.m. April 3 at the Metropolitan AME Church in Cumberland.
Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.

For related stories, click the following links:
'Miles to go,' but a 'good first step'
Confederate flag tense topic
Messages lead to police presence
Racism at Fort Hill behind complaint
Intimidation continues
Slurs spread over the Internet

Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.