Students playing cornhole with confederate flag board facing backlash
TROPHY CLUB, Texas - A group of students who played a game of cornhole at Byron Nelson High School in Trophy Club is facing backlash after one of the boards used was decorated with a confederate flag.
A photo of some students posing with the board was shared on social media. Then other students who were offended complained.
The school reacted by making sure the kids understand why there is backlash.
Almost all of the senior students have apologized in some way on Twitter, where much of the discourse among students on this issue played out.
Seniors stood on the field at Byron Nelson Bobcat Stadium, proudly surrounding a cornhole set -- one painted in the Texas flag and the other in the confederate flag.
Some say the flag is a symbol of Southern heritage. Others believe it stands for slavery.
The school district got complaints almost immediately from a parent and several students. School principals sat down with those concerned as well as the seniors pictured.
"That wasn't even the first thought to them, that it could be something like that," said Northwest ISD spokesperson Emily Conklin. "They just seemed surprised that that would be taken that way."
Northwest ISD Spokesperson Emily Conklin says a student brought the set to Senior Sunrise, a school tradition that happens each year before school hours.
On student tweeted, "Never in a million years would you catch a colored person with this...I'm just sayin'."
Students in the picture started tweeting their own apologies. One student wrote, "I set my values much higher than what the flag represents and know each and everyone one of them also do. Sorry for the chaos this started and I apologize."
The district calls this a teachable moment.
"Took it as a good opportunity to educate them on how certain symbols might be offensive and definitely asked what the intent was," said Conklin. "It was not the intention at all to offend anyone in any way."
FOX 4 asked students who were upset about the painted flag for interviews but declined.
The district did not give details as to whether any of the students were punished individually, but did say it will set up a better system to review items before they are brought to the next Senior Sunrise event.