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VA County Rejects Ban of Confederate Flag in Schools

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(AP) A county school board in Virginia has decided not to update its dress code to ban displays of the Confederate flag.

The Roanoke Times reported Monday that the decision followed months of debate in Franklin County, which is outside of Roanoke in western Virginia.

Many school board members said such a ban could violate students' rights to free speech and spur legal challenges.

The vote was 7 to 1. The board's only black member was the sole no vote.  She argued the flag was a symbol of white supremacy.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.