Irvington High School football team’s 9/11 banners upset woke educrat

These highschool soccer gamers have been flagged for patriotism.

Easy gestures by the Irvington Excessive Faculty soccer staff to honor fallen 9/11 first responders throughout a varsity recreation on Sept. 10 thrust an prosperous Westchester suburb and its educrats right into a politically-correct frenzy. 

Earlier than kicking off their season opener towards Chilly Spring’s Haldane HS, the Bulldogs paid their respects by slapping American flag stickers to their helmets and operating onto the sphere with two gamers holding massive flags.

One carried Previous Glory, whereas the opposite participant carried an American flag with a blue stripe — the banner related to the “Blues Lives Matter” motion that helps police. In a video, followers will be heard cheering the Irvington gamers, who finally misplaced 21-14.

Irvington soccer staff on Sept. tenth, carrying a flag that has been recognized by some as a “Blue Lives Matter” flag.

A month later, Irvington Union Free Faculty District superintendent Kristopher Harrison ripped the patriotic play in a letter to the varsity district. 

Whereas the Irvington coaches mentioned they'd no intention of “inject[ing] a politicized sentiment into our group,” Harrison wrote in an Oct. 12 letter to district households, the actions “triggered concern and hurt to some members of our group.”

“Controversial, politicized messages are usually not consultant of the inclusive, welcoming group that we search to be,” the letter mentioned.

An e-mail later despatched by Harrison individually to individuals who responded to his letter clarified that “for group members of shade, seeing the blue line flag on college grounds conjured up horrifying feelings of occasions reminiscent of those who occurred in Charlottesville [Va.].”

The lecture was not welcomed by all in a group that misplaced at the least two residents within the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist assaults on the World Commerce Heart. The Hudson Valley as an entire misplaced 200 residents that day.

“I discover it completely ridiculous that anybody would discover our American flag and or the Blue line flag to be offensive and make them really feel unsafe!” one IHS alum wrote in a personal city Fb group.

The flags sparked a letter from the superintendent decrying the staff’s actions.

“Would you all be upset if a Black Lives Matter signal is proudly waved at each recreation in February?” one commenter retorted. 

Mother or father Tara Fitzpatrick felt the superintendent is “specializing in the flawed factor” and famous the significance of “a wholesome discourse of a number of factors of view.”

“I feel we’re a bit of set off blissful on being offended and being too delicate,” Fitzpatrick griped. “Educators want to show children particular person ideas and to suppose for themselves.” 

The soccer staff additionally had American flag stickers affixed to their helmets.

The soccer gamers weren't disciplined for the unsanctioned tribute, however nonetheless upset over the letter, in keeping with one varsity participant’s father, who was with the NYPD for twenty-four years, together with at Floor Zero for 3 months.

He famous that a related pre-game 9/11 memorial final 12 months went off with none backlash. 

“I don’t know why it turned a giant deal,” he mentioned.

Harrison didn't reply to a request for remark and head coach Jeff Michael declined to remark.