Welcome to today’s California, where American culture is being smacked around in public schools. When four high school boys wore patriotic American clothing to class on Cinco de Mayo (May 5) in Morgan Hill, they were sent home by the administrators, who apparently feared violence from the Mexican kids. That was the beginning of a controversy that is continuing.

Why does the school celebrate the non-holiday anyway? Cinco de Mayo is not a big deal in Mexico at all, but is widely peddled here by beer manufacturers on one hand and Raza types on the other. But US schools feel they must promote ethnic tribalism for self-esteem of the Mexes. The school in question (Live Oak High School) even had Mexican folk dancers perform for the special day.

The school’s job is to promote traditional American values, not keep junior Mexicans in touch with Mexico’s culture. That’s the parents’ responsibility, not the taxpayer-funded education system.

Here’s the basic story:

Morgan Hill students sent home over clothing, AP, May 6, 2010

The parents of several San Francisco Bay-area high school students who were sent home after showing up in clothing with American flags on Cinco de Mayo are blasting the school’s decision.

An assistant principal at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill told the group of boys Wednesday to take off bandanas and shirts bearing American flags or turn the shirts inside out, according to some of the boys. At least one of the boys was also wearing shorts with the U.S. flag.

“They said we could wear it on any other day,” Daniel Galli, one of the boys, told San Jose’s KNTV. “But today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it’s supposed to be their holiday, so we were not allowed to wear it today.”

The boys say they were told the clothing was offending some Hispanic students and could spark fights.

They were given the choice to leave or face suspension, they said.

This clip includes some Mexican whining:

But the story doesn’t end there. The Mexicans were miffed that Americans would be so rude as to disrespect them during their special Raza celebration. Furthermore, the Mexes were angry that the Americans were not punished.

American Flag Clothing Sparks New Protest, NBC Bay Area, May 6, 2010

A day after five Morgan Hill students were sent home for wearing American flag T-shirts, the controversy erupted ten-fold.

Students at Live Oak High School made a mass and impromptu walk out of class Thursday. They weren’t protesting the ejections and instead were showing their Mexican-American pride. Many support the school’s decision and say they were offended by their classmates’ wardrobe choice.

Many of the students who walked out Thursday held Mexican flags as they left campus. The students walked to City Hall for a loud but calm noontime rally. There were about 200 students taking part in the protest. […]

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

“I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day,” Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. “We don’t deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn’t do that on Fourth of July.”

The boys and their families say they won’t apologize.

Earth to Mexicans: this is still the United States, 24/7 every day of the year.