Link to story
Before I even read the entire story, I thought that it was an underhanded way to test someone's patriotism.
So what, I'm going to see if you disrespect the flag by walking on it so I disrespect the flag by throwing it on the floor?
Honestly, had I walked in and seen the flags laying all over the floor, I probably would have started picking them up...it's just the way I was raised.
After reading the whole story, I believe it did not show disrespect for America at all or to our flag. The flags were laid down in a specific pattern, not "thrown on the floor", so people could avoid stepping on them and she said 95% chose to do so. While her experimental art project may not rank as the most tasteful, it was a success as she did get reactions that showed most (95%) did respect our flag. Our nation and its flag have survived and thrived through much worse treatment in modern times. Would she have gotten the same reaction if her arrangement had been pictures of our national political leaders?
That is EXTREMELY disrespectful. This shows how little you, and this idiotic student, know about flag etiquette. As a Boy Scout I learned extensively about how a flag is to be treated, and a flag is NEVER to touch the ground. If it does touch the ground, it must be destroyed, either buried or burned. (And not burned like a jihadist burns it. Each stripe, starting at the bottom, is removed and burned on a fire individually, with the canton burned last.) There are laws on the books regarding the treatment of the flag
4 U.S.C. 8
Quote:Section 8. Respect for flag
No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of
America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing.
Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional
flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.
(a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down,
except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger
to life or property.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the
ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
© The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but
always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or
drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in
folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and
red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle,
and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk,
draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored
in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or
damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of
it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure,
design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving,
holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any
manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as
cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise
impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed
for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be
fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or
athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the
uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of
patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and
is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin
being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a
fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way,
preferably by burning.
I would much rather her let students trample all over pictures of George Washington himself than to do what she did. And I'll bet you that Washington would say the same thing.