NORTHRIDGE : ‘Flag Court’ Dedicated for School Year

Like a miniature United Nations, Holmes Middle School celebrated the yearly dedication of its flag court Friday, raising 32 brightly colored flags of adopted countries.

The middle school emphasizes the study of other cultures by assigning a different country to each homeroom period in the fall. Throughout the year, teachers incorporate studies of that country into the curriculum, culminating in a festival in the spring featuring food and music from the adopted countries.

“Let’s face it, the schools in L.A. are now more than 70% minority,” Principal Ron Twombly said. “It’s really appropriate to have this kind of celebration.”

About 40% of the 1,050 students at the Northridge school are Latino, 38% are Anglo and 17% are African-American, an assistant principal said. Initially, the flags represented mostly Western European and South American countries, but new ones have been added and old ones phased out as the population at the school changes.

George Beattie, a teacher at the school who has been involved with the program since its inception, said a student can request that a flag be represented. He said the program brings out the pride the students have in their heritage.

“I used to have kids arm-wrestle to put up the flag of El Salvador,” Beattie said. “They can be very proud.”

Many students believe the emphasis on other countries enriches their education.

“If you study the culture of other people you learn more about them instead of just judging them from the outside,” said Ricky Jackson, a seventh-grader.

“We have to all be in this thing together,” said Michael Thompson, an eighth-grader. “If we put up the flags, we can stop the war. We can all be for the same thing.”

But eighth-grader Richard Mendoza, had a slightly different justification.

“It’s important because one day you’ll marry a woman like that,” he said. “You’ll have to know her culture and what she eats and everything.”