Just another reason why Tarpon Springs High School Sucks….
I graduated East Lake High School in 1997 — I’m a proud Eagle alumni and I stand by my school…. Even if it’s among-student motto is “Where Eagles spread there wings and girls spread there legs.”
That being said, E.L.H.S. has a rival that I have always had problems with — not just because they were our sports rival, but quality of schooling and what not.
The rival happens to be Tarpon Springs High School — the venerable Spongers. (side note — Always felt cheeky about the SNL skit with the cheerleaders that had the East Lake Spartans, even though it isn’t a true combination of the two schools in question).
So what has lead me to write about my revilement for Tarpon Springs High School? There was a story in the local paper today about a TSHS student being suspended for circulating an anti-Confederate Flag petition. If you listen to the news, this story is starting to break in the mainstream (as I found when I did a Google Search on the story)… That being said, I relaly am sickened by the stupidity that surrounds this.
Back in High School, and Middle School for that matter, there had to be a dozen petitions that were circulated that were unofficial and not going to change what the school does or allows. No one got suspended over these things. Heck, they protested the Rodney King verdict at my middle school and all they did was make martyr’s out of the kids for standing up for what’s right.
I don’t believe Krista Abram’s was doing anything wrong. Nor do I think those who back southern pride by wearing a symbol of racism should be let off the hook for wearing the confederate flag on campus. I realize that some southerners wear the rebel flag and wave it with pride as a symbol of heritage and not hatred, but there has been too much hatred shown to African Americans since the Civil War to get away without being accused that the Rebel Flag isn’t a symbol of hate or cannot be interperted as one.
What also bothers me is that those who are so immersed in southern pride and southern heritage haven’t searched for an alternative symbol that they could wear or wave or show off… Something that shows pride but doesn’t have a malignant past,.
Tarpon Springs High School went out of there way to blow up this situation with Krista Abrams – they’ve effectively screwed the pooch by making an incident of this. Krista’s petition – with no offense intended towards her or her cause (which I gladly support) – would have waned and faded if it was allowed to circulate among students but not actually get anywhere (even if it did reach the school’s principle, it could have been said to her that there was nothing he could or would do). Instead? Tarpon Springs High School is now going to be under a racial microscope. Not just that, Krista may have hate brought upon her, those trying to express Southern Pride may have hate brought upon them as well…
The entire situation has become a powderkeg, thanks to the ignorance of the vice principle at Tarpon Springs High School, Wayne McKnight.
As a current student at Duneding High School in Pinellas county, I feel as though your comments on this subject to be out of place and unknowledgeble. Of course the EL-Tarpon football game is one I go to almost every year, I still feel that your comments were unwaranted. What McKnight did, is deny her request to a petition, what he did not do is tell her it could never be accepted. Because McKnight was not the principle he had no authority to accept or deny the petition. The reason why Abram was suspended is because her actions (the petition) directly influence over one hundred student to leave campus.
Also, in this situation, the bases of the United States of America was upheld, that is majority rules. Only six percent of Tarpon is black or minority (excluding Greek of course). And a majority of students believe that the symbol of the Confederate Battle Flag is acceptable, and therefore it being allowed in school adheres to the county policy that students may not wear any “clothing or tattos that are profane.”
I think that Tarpon was stupid for doing that to that girl,…but since im going there i gotta say,….EASTLAKE SUCKS,..And its not like you people are any better,…you guys do stupid stuff too,..so both schools SUCK.
You know, you talk about “Tarpon Springs Envy” —
Why is it that you and many like you have posted on the blog and ignored WHAT I was posting about when I wrote that and why I have a problem. Not school warfare but a little political issue that Tarpon Springs HS let boil over and screwed up in dealing with?
Looks like Tarpon Springs High School students and Alumni have either a vast inferiority complex or are suffering from major insecurities. You focus on “Tarpon Springs High School sucks” and not the fact that the CONFEDERATE FLAG sucks more, and the stupidity of suspending a girl who stood up against idiots flaunting racism. Your post is a prime example of insecutiities or an inferiority complex – thank you for simple making an ass out of yourself. And that goes for everyone who has posted on this blog entry and hasn’t even READ the blog entry and what it’s dealing with.
LMAO,are you serious lets not forget alot of good people came from the south as well as other places of this world as well we have are share of bad apples as well.There is so much wrong in this life.and we have evolved so much.the flag just doesnt stand for predijuce but a way of life.I live in the south and was born here I have a rebel flag but have alot of different friends of different races and i dont hate for no reason.
I think all this time and effort could be used for more important things then our past.we kill everyday in war should we rid ourselves of the red white and blue,no.
we are bigger than this lets just move on.and tarpon high doent suck people suck,ty
i would like too say that it sound like the post are well thought out and come from people who care ! I was born in the south and attened Tarpon high.
alot of effort and words were spent on this old issue,
The flag stands for a way of life some good and some bad.I have a rebel flag and it hangs under old glory.I think that if we look hard enough we could find bad as well as good in all country or places that have different flags.
Its a flag that is all if you dont like it dont look at it,And i dont mean that in a bad way.
It should say “The situation at Tarpon high Sucks”.
The comments I’ve read show the ignorance of people regarding the “Rebel” flag. One of the commenters correctly identified the flag in question as the “Confederate Battle Flag”. It is only supposed to be flown during battle. The true Confederate flag contains a blue field in the upper left corner with 7 white stars in a circle. It also contains 3 horizontal bars (red, white, red). During battle, flags were waved, along with bugle calls and drum signals, to signify troop movements. In the confusion, dust and smoke of battle, Confederate soldiers were confusing the Confederate flag with the Union flag so the “Battle” flag was designed. It sickens me to see the ignorant people displaying the battle flag. If they’re truely interested in maintaining Southern heritage, then they should be flying the true Confederate flag. We are not in battle now although some may say it never ended. They just show their ignorance. My ggrandfather was an officer in the 3rd FL Inf CSA, the “Brooksville Wildcats”. He also owned 4 slaves which he freed during the Civil War.