Star-spangled hoops: not all schools salute the flag

Christian Century, March 8, 2005 by Rich Preheim

Two other schools in both states are known not to fly the flag or play the national anthem. Under a policy that predates the terrorist attacks, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mennonite School will allow the flag to be displayed and the national anthem to be played at playoff games. "If someone else comes in and pays us to use the gym, we can't say they can't do that," said principal Dick Thomas. "Rental doesn't imply endorsement to us."

Mike Watson, boys' soccer and basketball coach at Scattergood Friends School in West Branch, Iowa, said its facilities are not viable for hosting postseason playoff games, rendering the flag and anthem stipulations moot.

Christopher Dock and IMS officials are not challenging their states' positions, even though some have questioned their legality. Officials at both schools say any protest would polarize sides and undermine relationships, which all parties say are good. "I don't feel like they're telling us what to believe," Swartzendruber said. "I would be concerned if we couldn't participate [in postseason playoffs]. ... There is an advantage of playing at home. I think everyone would agree on that. We just have to rise above that."

The two states' policies do not apply to all sports. In cross country and golf, for example, spectators may not be charged admission and events are held in venues where playing the national anthem and raising the flag are not realistic.

Iowa and Pennsylvania are believed to be the only states with such measures, but many state associations have similar expectations.

"We have never had such a regulation," said Donnie Nelson of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association. "Every school in Nevada does [raise the flag and sing the national anthem] without being told to do so." Joe Altieri of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association said, "We do have expectations that our sites will do their best in showing patriotism for our country." But other states exhibit a more moderate stance. "I don't believe we would prevent a school from hosting if they chose not to fly a flag or play the national anthem," said Peter Weber of the Oregon School Activities Association.

IMS, Christopher Dock and Lancaster are among the 15 high schools affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA, the largest Mennonite denomination in the United States. Most schools do not fly the flag or play the national anthem. Most Quaker schools, unlike Scattergood, are not members of state athletic associations.

This is not the first time in the post 9/11 environment that the U.S. flag has created a flap at a Mennonite school. In the spring of 2002, Kansas legislators tried to pull state funding for need-based financial aid at Hesston College because it didn't fly the flag, which it hadn't done for three decades. In the final budget sent to the governor, the funding was restored but also included $500 for a flagpole for the Hesston campus. Then-governor Bill Graves removed the provision from the budget, writing, "It is poor public policy for the legislature to intrude on the rights of private institutions."