Respect the flag

There have been quite a few letters about the banning of a book at Ellsworth High School. I would like to address a very serious problem that occurred at Ellsworth High School on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Minneapolis/Ellsworth basketball game.

It started off great with the preschool children saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the Star Spangled Banner mid court. However, prior to the boys’ game, several high school boys entered the gym with American flags draped around their shoulders and two on staffs that they allowed to touch the floor.

I am a widow, whose husband served 24 years in the army — one in Vietnam— therefore, I immediately approached the athletic director explaining that they were treating the flag with disrespect by draping it and allowing it to touch the floor. He said he would see about it. He went to the principal, who was standing near the student section, But absolutely nothing was done. To make it even worse, the athletic director allowed a student with a flag draped down his back to sweep the floor between the girls’ and boys’ games!

How do you think this appeared to the Minneapolis people attending the game?

I am also a graduate of Ellsworth High School and I am very disgusted with what they evidently no longer teach respecting the flag.

I would also like to know if I am the only person who was in attendance at this game where the disrespect of our flag was shown. But I am even more upset and disappointed not only with the flag bearing student but mainly with the athletic director and principal for allowing it to continue.

Karen Shriner

Ellsworth