Editorial

“This has got to stop. Somebody is going to get hurt.”

Little Miami Superintendent Greg Power

David Miller is the Publisher of Loveland Magazine and graduated from Little Miami High School in 1966

by David Miller

At the beginning of last Friday’s football game in Morrow, Ohio, two Little Miami High School football players elected to run onto the field carrying a “Thin Blue Line” flag and a “Thin Red Line” flag. The incident is now international news. Last Friday was also the anniversary of “9/11” a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda against the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.

The students were suspended from practice while the incident was investigated and have since been reinstated.

Superintendent Greg Power used FaceBook yesterday to issue an “Important Message” to the community. He says, “The District and many of us have received all manner of hateful threats, of vulgar language and accusations along the lines that we’re all Communists, and Socialists, and Marxists, even Fascist.

The Board of Education also issued an “Important message” on Sept. 15, which reads in part:

While the district understands these students’ desire to show their support of our first responders especially on the anniversary of 9/11, they did not obtain permission from district officials to do this. School administrators must act when students break the rules, and these students were suspended from practice while the incident was investigated. 

and;

Moving forward, Little Miami is returning the players to active status and this matter will be addressed as an Athletic Department Code of Conduct issue, with any potential consequences to be handled by coaching staff.

Some of the milder rhetoric:

No, don’t let them to resign! Gather them up late at night, tar and feather them, and then beat them within an inches of their lives! When are good people going to stand up to this tyranny?

School board gone, principal gone, superintendent gone. You already showed your true colors… to late to back pedal now. You are scum each and every single one of you. Step down you cowards. No place in this country for your garbage. Disgraceful.

It’s because “education professionals” are overwhelmingly America-hating Marxist Democrats. Get your kids out of public school indoctrination centers

They are a disgrace. And I’m from this area. Your superintendent is trash.

this is the United States of America you fascist. We can speak on any subject we want no matter where we live.

Because we’re patriots, you traitor!

Now you ASSCLOWNS suspend students, for showing support for Police/Fire/First Responders (their parents), on the anniversary of 09/11? ?  The “leadership” should be ashamed. I’ll pray to spare your evil souls, from the eternal fires of Hell!!! ? ? ?

Power gets emotional as he talks about how the incident has turned ugly and hateful as he clutched the American flag next to him reminding listeners that he is a 30-year Veteran. “When you see Confederate flags flying in the district, along with the Blue Line flag, that sends a God-awful hateful message about who we are as a community.”

Power said, “Shame on those out there that are wreaking this hateful havoc. It has no place in our schools. We are here to serve kids, and right now we are having trouble doing that because of the hateful political agendas of people that are not good for our kids

“This has got to stop. Somebody is going to get hurt.”

“Stop sending the threats. Those of you out there that are doing that. I am angry about this – if you can’t tell –  and this has got to stop.”

The Superintendant says it’s time to rachet this anger and hatred down so the district can get back to educating children in a safe and productive learning environment.

Little Miami travels to Tiger Stadium tonight to play Loveland. The Little Miami Board of Education said on Tuesday, “As the season continues, the only two flags that will come through the Little Miami football tunnel are the flag of the United States of America and the Little Miami spirit flag. The Board of Education supports this decision of district administration.”

Every school district in the nation is one thin (insert school colors here) line from a similar calamity that waits in the wings.

As the actor Michael Conrad said at the end of role call in every episode of Hill Street Blues (a day in the life of the officers at the Hill Street police precinct) said, “Let’s be careful out there.”