Leave it up to a California High School principal to make a liberal ruling on the flag, right? WRONG! Take heart, my fellow Americans. For, even in Academia, there still seems to be a struggling band of conservatives…even in California! Yes, they are small and struggling, but they are also bold and determined!

Now to the story, as told by the never-liberal Associated Press. According to the article, there was quite a raucous caused when the students who run the student body newspaper at Shasta High School, chose, as the front page of its final edition for the year, a picture of a student holding a burning American flag.

The first thought that really came to my mind when I read about this was, “where are all the patriotic kids?” Man, if that had happened in my high school, in my day, somebody would have taken a beating. Now, I’m not suggesting that should happen here. I am simply pointing out the change in loyalty that has occurred over the past twenty years.

I am happy to say, however, that the principled principal (can you tell I like saying that?) has laid down the law with these sad, confused young souls. He has not really taken a kinder, gentler approach to the situation. He has, as Barney Fife would say, nipped it in the bud. Nipped it, nipped it, nipped it.

Shasta High School Principal Milan Woollard said the newspaper “was embarrassing.” He also said that “the paper’s done…[T]here’s not going to be a school-run newspaper next year.”

One of the graduating seniors at Redding High School, Connor Kennedy, said in a phone interview as reported by the AP, “"I'm deeply saddened, and I find it terribly ironic a high school newspaper would be shut down for exercising free speech — particularly when the curriculum being taught was that this was free speech.”

Well, Mr. Kennedy, it amazes me to no end how kids today think they can just take whatever Constitutional liberties which apply to ADULTS in this country and twist them to fit whatever irrational thoughts may be running through their heads.

I personally find this to be a disgusting, repulsive act. And as I have said, had it happened when I was in high school, I feel pretty confident the two sides (if there even was another side) would be squaring off in the parking lot.

You are in a CONTROLLED, SCHOOL SETTING! You are not out with the stoners on a Friday night. The school has every right to deem what it considers to be appropriate and what it deems inappropriate. And if it were up to me, I would have the guilty parties hand-sewing American flags after school for detention for the next year’s first semester.

And parents, I hope you are proud of what your kids are becoming. You have raised your kids to believe that the best way to change something he/she doesn’t like about the greatest nation on the face of the Earth is to desecrate the one symbol that means more to true Americans than any other…Old Glory.

As for Principal Woollard, if you are worried about how the school board might come down on him…don’t be. Said he, “Eliminating the paper had been an option before it published the flag photo because the school expects to get less state funding next year and needs to save money.”

The students' decision to showcase flag burning ‘cements the decision’ to pull funding from the newspaper, he said.”

Score one for the good guys!

*As always, I would like to remind you that my new book, "Mr. Right Opinion-Unplugged & Unashamed," is now available at: http://www.51756.authorworld.com/, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble online, and many, many other online outlets--so check it out! Thanks!

Also, if you just can't get enough "right opinion," you can now hear Nedd Kareiva (founder, www.stoptheaclu.org) and me on the "Mr. Right Opinion and Nedd the Stop the ACLU Guy Show" on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30-3:00 p.m.--Thanks!