Plum Borough School District

Central Administration
900 Elicker Road
Plum, Pennsylvania 15239

Superintendent
Dr. Timothy S. Glasspool
Assistant Superintendent
Dr. Gail Yamnitzky
Director of Business Affairs
Mr. John Zahorchak
Director of Administrative
Services
Dr. Michael Brewer

December 9, 2016


Dear Parents, Guardians and Residents,


As many of you are aware, there are several news stories regarding a Plum
High School student wearing a hooded sweatshirt with a confederate flag
insignia. Today three students arrived at Plum High School wearing
Confederate Flag clothing and/or accouterments. This attire is beginning to
cause a disruption to the normal school routine. We have already received in
excess of 50 negative reactions to the wearing of the Confederate Flag. The
students were asked to remove the offensive symbol from their attire. Two
students refused and were sent home.

As an educational institution we view this as a learning opportunity for our
children and encourage all families to discuss how these symbols can cause
fear or anxiety in others. The practice of ethnic, religious, racial or gender
charged symbols that profess hatred, bigotry, or oppression has no place in
any learning institution and will not be tolerated in Plum schools.

Public school districts cannot restrict students speech, except when actual,
material and substantial interference with school operation occurs, or the
likelihood that the speech would cause such disruption. We have
investigated, and will continue to investigate whether the wearing of a
specific symbol constitutes harassment directed against one or more
individual students because of a students race, religion, ethnicity, or gender.
In this context, harassment is considered unlawful if it is sufficiently severe,
persistent or pervasive that it affects a students ability to participate in our
educational program or creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive
educational environment.

A students clothing can affect the academic focus and safety of our student
population. We encourage students to exercise discretion when making
clothing choices. And, we thank both students and parents for supporting
our inclusive setting that demonstrates our sense of community.

Please review the following School Board Policies:
Policy 220 Student Expression
http://www.pbsd.k12.pa.us/Downloads/policy220.pdf
Policy 248 Unlawful Harassment
http://www.pbsd.k12.pa.us/Downloads/policy248.pdf

Sincerely,

Dr. Timothy S. Glasspool

Superintendent

Dr. Gail Yamnitzky

Assistant Superintendent