Margot Harrison // EEW Magazine Online // Racism

The sin of racism is a disease that continues to plague America and permeate educational institutions, making it hard for Black students to feel respected, heard, or protected.

When a Black Alabama high school student quit the cheer squad and called for disciplinary action against the White cheerleaders who posted a photo holding up a t-shirt featuring a heart-shaped confederate flag on Independence Day, she had no idea how much public support she would receive.

But now, after more than 10,000 people signed Reagan Coleman’s Change.org petition, it’s clear that she isn’t the only one offended by Daphne High School students posing with a tee that says, "I love Redneck Boys."

Daphne High School cheerleaders are under fire for posing with a t-shirt that features the Confederate flag, posted on July 4th.

In America’s current cultural climate, the Confederate flag has taken center stage in numerous debates, as anti-racism groups and individuals say it is a symbol of racism that promotes White supremacy.

“I knew I needed to speak up about this matter and Daphne’s negligence,” wrote Reagan, one of only two Black girls on Daphne’s cheer team who said in her petition that there still has been no disciplinary action taken by school administrators.

“I am not trying to ignite hate on these girls, I just simply want everyone to see what Daphne High School allows. Daphne’s Administration team has failed to release any statements or contact anyone back concerning this matter,” she added.

Reagan said she chose to quit the cheer team on the first day of practice after she saw all the offending cheerleaders return as if nothing had happened, without being disciplined. (Credit: Instagram / @reaganncolemann)

According to WKRG news, this is not the first instance of racism portrayed by a member of Daphne’s cheer squad. In one instance, a cheerleader was captured on video using the N-word during basketball season. There is another documented incident where a cheerleader called a classmate the N-word in a snapchat message.

While thousands have been supportive of Coleman, others have expressed their support of the cheerleaders and defended the Confederate flag, arguing that it is nothing more than a display of southern pride.

However, Latitah Coleman, mother of Reagan, rejects any defense of the Confederate flag. “We were oppressed with that flag,” she said while sitting next to her daughter in an interview with WKRG. “They used it when they burned crosses in our ancestors’ yard. That flag was railed around on horses. You can’t say there are two sides to that flag.”

Defenders of the Confederate flag believe it is an important part of history and has no negative connotation, but the upset mom, who shared her concerns with school administration, said, “I don’t know what history you’re reading, but if you read the U.S. history, then it tells you exactly what that flag stands for and what it means, especially to African-Americans.”

Baldwin County Schools issued a statement saying, “We are aware of the situation and it has been handled at the local school level. As with any student issue, federal law prohibits us from discussing disciplinary actions, if any, involving our students. Our system has implemented sensitivity programs and Superintendent Tyler has stressed that we have a zero tolerance for racism and bullying in our system.”

It remains unclear what measures the school has taken.

As for Reagan, she says her hope is that the impact of her decision to speak out extends beyond just her school and local community.

“I knew I needed to share the story, not because of how I felt about the picture, but because of the other Black children that may be silenced by White administrations like these,” she said.

Watch the full story below.