While parents are proudly sharing their teens' prom photos this time of year, one photo is causing some families terrible shame. Eight Colorado teens posed in their prom finery with a Confederate flag and two assault rifles. The photo has gotten people talking -- but what about the teens' parents?
Those familiar with their American history will recall that the Confederate flag was used as a battle flag in the Civil War (though not as the official flag of the Confederacy) -- and that it has since been used as both a symbol of the South and as a symbol of racism by white supremacist groups.
So far only two parents have commented on the infamous Confederate flag prom photo. The mother of one of the boys says her son was surprised when guns and the flag were brought out for the picture. "There were other parents there fully supporting it and taking pictures," the anonymous parent told FOX31 Denver.
She says her son made a mistake. But she's more concerned about the parents: " ... but to have parents feed into it and support it is really upsetting to me."
More from The Stir: 12 Images That Capture How Dads Really Feel About Their Daugthers Going to Prom
One of the girls in the photo is apologizing. "It’s hard to say sorry when that’s the only thing that can come out of my mouth right now,” the anonymous student told Fox 31 Denver. “I feel like there should be a better word for it." Her father (also anonymous) says his daughter has accepted responsibility for her involvement in the photo. "She needs to make better choices, decisions, and hopefully never encounter something like this ever again.”
I can only imagine the shame spiral I would fall into if my own son ever posed in a photo like this. He's smart and educated enough to know what ideas the flag is associated with. So he would know better than to pose with it -- especially surrounded by assault rifles, and making gun hand gestures.
For him to go along with it anyway would be a disappointing failure of character -- and a disappointing failure of my parenting as well. We all hope our kids will stand up for what's right in these situations with their peers. But maybe we underestimate how hard that can be, sometimes.
“I feel everyone struggles with trying to do the right thing at the right time,” the student who has apologized says. “It was just difficult for me to voice that and stop what was going on.” If only she'd known she was not the only one uncomfortable with the photo, that at least one other teen would have supported her if she'd said something. But at least they learned something from the shameful experience.
As for the other parents -- I don't know if I could ever even look them in the eyes again. To put someone else's child in a photo like this? How could they?
[code]
"I'm sorry," says one girl who posed with #Confederate flag in this Parker #prom photo. Her story, on @KDVR at 9pm. pic.twitter.com/uevxR6JWN1
— Jeremy Hubbard (@JeremyHubbard) May 6, 2015How would you feel if your child posed in this photo?
Image via