The First Amendment lawsuit, filed in federal court Monday against Seminole County school officials, is believed to be the first in Georgia challenging policies that discourage or bar students from wearing Confederate symbols. Gerry Weber, the Georgia ACLU's legal director, said Tuesday. Georgia has had a series of clashes over Confederate T-shirts since the Legislature's sudden move in January to change the state flag, which had been dominated by the Confederate battle emblem since 1956. This spring, seven students in Richmond Hill, south of Savannah, were suspended for a day for wearing shirts with the emblem. Students wearing Confederate emblems also have been punished in recent years in Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia.
Educators say they have banned the symbol to prevent racial violence.
Wearing inflammatory symbols does not promote this respect and tolerance,'' said Larry Bryant, superintendent of Seminole County schools. He said black students and teachers had complained about the Confederate T-shirts. About half of the county's students are black. Copyright 2001, The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP Online news report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.