Support for kid with flying flag on bike

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Support for kid with flying flag on bike

Postby SF-Dano » Tue Nov 16, 2010 3:54 am

http://www.kcra.com/r/25795718/detail.html


Many Rally To Support Boy's Flag Display
Motorcycle Riders Back Denair Teen


DENAIR, Calif. -- A 13-year-old Stanislaus County boy at the center of a flag controversy got a big show of support Monday as many people rallied to his side.

Cody Alicea was earlier told by Denair Middle School officials that he could not ride to school with a U.S. flag on his bike. The story has gained national attention, from Rush Limbaugh to the Drudge Report.

The school changed its mind, and now Alicea can display the stars and stripes.

When he rode from his home to school on Monday, he was followed by a parade of people on motorcycles. A military jet flyover was also expected.

"I'd just like to say thanks for the support," Alicea said before his ride.

Officials at the school told Alicea not to display the flag, citing safety concerns. Some students had complained about the display.

Denair Unified School District Superintendent Edward Parraz said the campus recently experienced some racial tension. He said some students got out of hand on Cinco de Mayo. He said some students displayed the Mexican flag, while others displayed American flags.

Parraz said he got calls from halfway around the world about the flag controversy. Some soldiers in Afghanistan called to complain.

Alicea said he was surprised at the attention.

"This is big," Alicea said. "I didn't think it'd get this big."
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Postby jrnyman28 » Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:49 am

The superintendant is obviously a bonehead if he doesn't think suppressing the right to fly the official flag of our nation as a "big deal"...
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Postby SF-Dano » Wed Nov 17, 2010 9:58 am

Looks like this one worked out right in the end. Nice little video on at the URl below.
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http://www.sacbee.com/2010/11/15/3186825/denair-flag-flap-denair-student.html

Denair Flag Flap: Denair student overwhelmed
Hundreds show up for this morning's ride to school


As flags flew, cameras rolled and motorcycles revved around him, the unlikely hero in the patriotic tale that swept up this town broke into tears.

Cody Alicea, whose stepfather called in news crews after a Denair Middle School employee told the boy to remove an American flag from his bicycle, seemed eager to get away from the crowd and into school Monday morning.

“I’d like to thank you all for your support,” he said at a rally organized in the parking lot of Denair Food.

He arrived in the lot escorted by a group of motorcyclists, and picked up several hundred more walkers who accompanied him to campus.

He collected a hat, a flag and other mementoes from various groups, and Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa, sent a letter.

Before leaving the lot to continue his ride to school, Cody exchanged a hug with Denair Unified School District Superintendent Ed Parraz, his former school principal. Parraz again apologized for the incident and took responsibility for it.

“This happened on my watch,” he said, pledging to learn from the issue and move the district ahead.

A campus supervisor last week told Cody to put his flag in his backpack over concerns for his safety and in the wake of a Cinco de Mayo incident over the Mexican flag.

Cody’s stepfather, Robert Kinser, called a TV news crew after he learned what happened.

“(Cody) would have just done as they asked,” he said. “But I thought I should call the news after I tried to call the school and see if we could meet in the middle on this.”

Though the district reversed its stance — Parraz said he’d be happy if every kid in Denair had a flag on his bike — the issue went viral on the Internet and newscasts.

Several national bloggers picked up on it and encouraged followers to contact the school district, one suggesting sending a million flags to Denair. State Sen. Jeff Denham, recently elected to Congress, offered to fly Cody to Washington, D.C. for his swearing-in ceremony in January.

The Denair school board held an emergency meeting Sunday to discuss a potential lawsuit from a rights group that has threatened to sue.

But while pundits and politicians have picked up on the issue, organizers said the local effort was designed to show the country that Denair as a community is not anti-flag, or anti-American.

“We’re here today to support all the Codys,” said Lisa De Los Santos, who organized Monday’s rally and walk to school. “We have to stop intolerance ... racial tension won’t go away with a flag in a backpack.”

The crowd made its way down Main Street to the school, where it gathered around the flagpole for a hearty “Pledge of Allegiance” and rendition of the national anthem.

Cody again thanked everyone for coming and tried to make his way into school.

Shawn Alicea said his son didn’t expect the matter to grow into a national issue.

“I think it all kind of blew up in his face,” he said after giving Cody a hug and sending him into class. “He’s such a soft-spoken kid. But he’s taken it quite well. He’s got a lot of support.”
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Postby Rockindeano » Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:40 am

Awesome. What a great kid. Those other little whiny bastards can ride their bikes into snake infested swamps, except in Denair, there are no snake infested swamps, so let's hope they get run over by an 18 wheeler. :lol: Denair is in the middle of California's San Jouquin Valley where there is nothing but crops, railroad tracks and US 99. Really boring assed place to live.
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