North Carolina School Board Rejects Ban On Confederate Flag

A North Carolina school board has voted against banning the Confederate flag from school grounds. The board has rejected two pleas from a local chapter of the NAACP to prohibit the flag.

The Orange County Board of Education decided that instead of banning the Confederate flag, it would establish an equity committee to advise them on several issues, including symbolic speech. Board chairman Steven Halkiotis said that board members will not tolerate hate speech, bullying or intimidation.

The Northern Orange County NAACP had asked the board to ban the Confederate flag on school grounds during the board's earlier meeting in February.

The News and Observer of Raleigh reports attendees wore NAACP and “Ban it now” shirts and buttons during the Monday meeting.

Some students, parents, employees and community members said there's been an increase in Confederate flags appearing on vehicles, bags and pieces of clothing on school grounds.