A South Carolina school teacher Scott Compton could lose his job because he stomped on the American flag in a classroom full of students. The highly controversial action occurred in three separate English classes at Chapin High School. The teacher who stomped on the flag was reportedly attempting to make a point about symbolism.
Compton was placed on paid leave while school officials investigate the American flag stomping incident, according to the New York Daily News . The Chapin High School English teacher’s attorney, Darryl D. Smalls, claims that Compton was merely trying to demonstrate that America is greater that the “material objects that represent it,” WIS-TV reports.
Attorney Small also had this to say in a media release about the South Carolina teacher who stomped on the American flag:
“He meant no intentional disrespect to shoe men and women who served our country or to America itself.”
Those who were deeply offended by Scott Compton’s supposed symbolism lesson largely consider lesson an act of flag desecration. American flag etiquette notes that flag is not supposed to ever touch the ground. After an American flag does come into contact which the ground, it should be destroyed following clearly outlined guidelines.
Students who were both offended and shocked when their teacher stomped on the flag, told their parents, who then filed complaints with the school. While desecration of the American flag is protected under the First Amendment , Lexington-Richland School District 5 is not brushing of parental concerns.
Chapin High School is approximately one hour away from the Fort Jackson Army base. South Carolina school district spokesman Mark Bounds had this to say about the ongoing investigation:
“So many of our veterans have made sacrifices for that flag. We still have men and women deployed in service to our country, and we do take this very seriously.”
