Confederate flag shirts stir tensions at Nixa High

NIXA, Mo. (AP) - The Nixa school district is refusing to allow students to wear T-shirts emblazoned with the Confederate flag to memorialize a classmate's death.

The Springfield News-Leader (http://sgfnow.co/13teESk) reports that students wanted to wear the shirts on the anniversary of a Colby Snider's May 1, 2012, death from carbon monoxide poisoning. Besides the Confederate flag, the shirts included the slogan "heritage no2t hate."

Some students wore the shirts even after being told they violated the dress code and were disciplined.

The students went to the school board last week. Colby's mother, Jodie Snider, wanted students to be able to wear the shirts one day, saying the flag wasn't about "hate." But others said there are less offensive ways to memorialize the student's death.

The board decided the Confederate flag prohibition would stand.