First and foremost, it’s important to address the incident immediately and ensure the safety and well-being of all students involved. The school should have a zero-tolerance policy for
bullying and harassment and this incident clearly falls under that category.
The school's anti-
bullying policy should be followed when disciplining the bullying kids. In extreme circumstances, this can entail incarceration, suspension, or even expulsion. It should also be mandatory for them to take part in diversity and inclusion training so they can comprehend the damage their acts cause. The students who were bullied should be provided with support and resources to cope with the incident. This could include counseling services, peer support groups, and reassurances of their safety and inclusion in the school community.
According to the ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969), kids retain their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and expression even after entering school. One could argue that wearing t-shirts with images of national flags qualifies as symbolic expression protected by the First Amendment. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws forbid discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive funding from the federal government. This also includes public schools. Harassment of students based on their national origin could be considered discrimination. Bullying and harassment are prohibited by policy in most school boards. To ensure the safety of every student, these rules must be applied consistently and equitably. To sum up, the school handled this situation by upholding its anti-bullying policy, helping the victims, and teaching all the kids about inclusivity and diversity. In addition, the school must abide by federal anti-
discrimination rules and protect the First Amendment rights of the students.
Reference:
Tinker v. De Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969). https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/393/503/
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Civil Rights Division. https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI
