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Hampshire College announced Friday morning that it has resumed flying the U.S. flag from a main flagpole on campus. The flag will fly at full staff.
The college has faced intense criticism -- and a protest by veterans last weekend -- since it announced last month that it would stop flying the U.S. flag (or any flag) after debate on the campus over the issue. During some of the period of debate, which followed the election of Donald Trump as president, the flag was flown at half-staff. On the night before Veterans Day, unidentified people burned the college's U.S. flag.
The photo above right was shot by the college Friday.
The following is the full statement of Jonathan Lash, president of the college, on the decision to resume flying the flag:
This morning we raised the United States flag to full staff at Hampshire College after a two-week discussion period about what the flag means to members of the Hampshire community. College leadership, including the Board of Trustees, had decided on Nov. 18 to lower the flag for a time to encourage uninhibited expression of deeply held viewpoints.
We are alarmed by the overt hate and threats, especially toward people in marginalized communities, which have escalated in recent weeks. We did not lower the flag to make a political statement. Nor did we intend to cause offense to veterans, military families or others for whom the flag represents service and sacrifice. We acted solely to facilitate much-needed dialogue on our campus about how to dismantle the bigotry that is prevalent in our society. We understand that many who hold the flag as a powerful symbol of national ideals and their highest aspirations for the country -- including members of our own community -- felt hurt by our decisions, and that we deeply regret.
The dialogue we have experienced so far is the first step of a process. Hampshire staff and faculty have led facilitated discussions, I have held multiple focus group sessions, and all of our students, faculty and staff have been invited to contribute their opinions, questions and perspectives about the U.S. flag. This is what free speech looks like. We believe in it, we will continue this work on campus and we will look for ways to engage with our neighbors in the wider community. We raise the flag now as a symbol of that freedom, and in hopes for justice and fairness for all.
At Hampshire, we are committed to living up to these principles:
- To insist on diversity, inclusion and equity from our leaders and in our communities, and the right to think critically and to speak openly about the historical tensions that exist throughout the country.
- To constructively and peacefully resist those who are opposing these values.
- To actively and passionately work toward justice and positive change on our campus and in the world.
No less should be expected of any institution of higher learning.
