A video recorded during a school game in Southwest Virginia has stirred outrage online after two White middle schoolers from the visiting team were seen waving a Confederate flag in the stands. The student who shared the video to TikTok said her school, where the game took place, is a predominantly Black campus that serves students from different parts of the world, including many from African countries.
The visiting school is believed to be Hurley Elementary Middle School, whose team is known as the “Rebels,” and their mascot features the flag.
According to EBSCO, the Confederate flag has historically been associated with the Confederate States of America, a group of southern states that fought against the United States during the Civil War between 1861 and 1865. Historians note that the Confederacy was formed largely to preserve slavery, which is why the flag is often linked to that history. The symbol has also been associated with racial segregation and resistance to civil rights during the 20th century and is considered by many people to remain controversial to this day.
‘It Just Feels Weird’
The student who posted the video said the moment felt uncomfortable for her given the flag’s historical ties and the setting in which it was displayed. She clarified that her intention was not to attack any particular group but to highlight something she felt should be addressed. “I’m not saying I hate white people,” she said in a video on TikTok. “I never said that. I’m just saying it’s kind of weird to be parading a flag that represents historically white enslavement of Black people in front of a bunch of Black little kids. It just feels weird.”
The other school, however, does not see the flag as a symbol of racism. In 2015, a principal of Hurley High School told USA Today that to the school community it meant “heritage, not hate.”
Netizens React to the Virginia School Incident
The video has since gone viral, garnering over a million likes, with many netizens criticizing what had happened at the school event. “I’m sorry that you all have to go through this for simply existing,” one person wrote. “This is not okay. Hate should never be tolerated. I’m sorry you had to go through this,” another commenter said. “Those are little girls too probably no older than 12 the adults def made them do it 😒,” a third remarked.
Some commenters also praised the student who posted the video for speaking up about the situation. “I am glad you had a good experience when you addressed the issue… Keep educating and addressing it,” one comment read. “So proud of you for standing up for what’s right and being so brave!” another added.
As of now, the student said that after she brought the incident to her school’s administrators’ attention, the visiting school has been told that the Confederate flag should not be displayed at future games.
