Apology Issued for Display of Rebel Flag

A Newport Beach high school principal apologized Thursday for including a Confederate battle flag in a football game halftime show against Westchester High, a Los Angeles school with a predominantly African American student body.

The Newport Harbor High School principal and student band director said the school used poor judgment during the Civil War-themed show last Friday. The flag angered several Westchester fans.

“I think the intention of the band was good, but the choice of the flag was not appropriate,” said Principal Michael Vossen, who sent a letter of apology to Westchester’s principal Thursday.

With its distinctive blue cross with a red background, the Confederate flag still stokes racial and political animosity because it is seen as a symbol of slavery as well as an emblem of Southern pride.

Several Westchester fans and football players were outraged when they saw the Newport marching band bring the flag onto the field, said Westchester Principal Dana Perryman, who was at the game.

“When we saw it, we were all kind of surprised--the administrators, teachers and parents,” Perryman said Thursday. “Some of the kids were really angry. They said to me, “What are you going to do about it?’ ”

Perryman said a group of Newport Harbor teachers immediately apologized.

The Newport Harbor High marching band, which has no African American members, has been performing the halftime routine all season, though the Confederate flag was a new addition. The show, called “A Nation Divided Stands United,” portrays a Civil War battle and illustrates how the nation came together after the bitterly divisive, bloody conflict, said Rob Henthorn, director of the Newport school’s marching band.

Large replicas of the Confederate and Union flags are used as props to illustrate each side, as are two bigger flags with pictures of gray and blue Civil War caps, and another flag on a center stage showing a Union and Confederate soldier arm in arm. The band’s playlist during the show includes “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Amazing Grace” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.”

“We try to show a balance, and not glorify or vilify any side,” Henthorn said.

Because of the incident, neither the Confederate nor Union flags will be displayed in the future, he said.

“We offended them, so of course we need to write a letter apologizing. I want them to know I am truly sorry,” Henthorn said. “I would never do anything intentionally to insult another school or race. . . . The desire was to portray an era of history accurately.”

The game against Westchester was the first time the Confederate flag was used, although Henthorn said that was only because it was the first home game since students finished making the prop.

Officials from Westchester High said everything else about the halftime show was appropriate.