President Obama orders flags flown at half-staff

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:24:00 +0000

The president has ordered all government buildings to fly the flag at half-staff in remembrance of the victims of Monday's explosions in Boston, until April 20.

The latest casualty count from the bombings includes three dead -- including an 8-year old child -- and 176 injured. The Miami Herald reports that 17 are in critical condition and eight are "very critical" with "injuries to lower extremities; many amputations."

New York City has responded to the tragedy by raising Boston's flag to half-staff, as well:

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Teacher could be fired for stomping on U.S. flag

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 22:15:00 +0000

A South Carolina English teacher may lose his job for stomping on an American flag during a class demonstration. Scott Compton was attempting to illustrate to his students that the flag was a symbol and also that the physical flag is just piece of cloth -- a point likely lost on the class now that Compton has been suspended for treating the "piece of cloth" as such.

Compton, described by a local conservative news site as "very liberal," teaches in a community with a "robust military community," adding to sensitivity around the treatment of flags, the HuffPo reported.

Although flag burning and desecration of the flag is legal and constitutionally protected, the Lexington-Richland school district deemed Compton's behavior "unprofessional and inconsistent with conduct standards."

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President Obama orders flags flown at half-staff

Teacher could be fired for stomping on U.S. flag