I have had a child in each school in the Potsdam School District and I am extremely satisfied with the level of education they receive. The teachers are wonderful and dedicated to their professions and the staff is hardworking and friendly. My family has had a very positive experience in the district. However, I was recently quite dismayed to see a large Confederate flag flying out of a car window in the high school parking lot. I was walking to the athletic field to watch one of my children’s activities when I noticed the car. Since I have a child in the high school I quickly remembered it was “Red Neck Day,” part of Spirit Week. I assume this flag was part of that activity. This poses more questions than answers for me. Why does the high school have a “Redneck Day?” What does that even mean? Do students realize the implications of that flag? Do any of the students truly understand the meaning of the Confederate flag? Do they know someone might be offended by this gesture? Is anyone else uncomfortable seeing that flag on school grounds? I believe now is the perfect time to address these questions in the district. Traditions need to be reassessed occasionally and this may be time to question the need for certain activities and what we, as a community, consider acceptable. I don’t claim to be an expert or to offer a solution, I simply think 2015 is the perfect time to begin the dialogue with the administration, teachers, staff, students, and community. We should all consider what message we want to send about tolerance and acceptance.