compiled by Patrick H. Moore
In rather an odd story, a 17-year-old high school student named Nick Newell has assumed the role of the South Carolina nocturnal flag burner. A still surveillance shot released by the Horry County police shows someone, presumably Newell, dressed in dark black-and-gray storm trooper chic complete with what appears to be a gas mask. Several unburned flags are strewn on the ground. The photo was apparently taken in front of St. James High School, a public school not too far from Myrtle Beach, according to ABC affiliate WPDE.
At around 2:00 a.m. on Monday morning, Newell allegedly burned the batch of American flags. School security guards discovered the charred flag remains just after 6:00 a.m.
As a result of Newell’s actions, school officials decided to lock down and evacuate the entire school at around 8:30 a.m. An arson investigator was summoned as was the county bomb squad. The students were not allowed to go to class; instead, they were directed to proceed directly to the gym. After a few hours of milling around in the gym, the students were shuttled to a local area middle school where they underwent a protracted checkout process before being discharged to their parents.
After spending the morning searching the school for any sign of explosives or other forms of incendiary devices, the arson investigator and bomb squad determined that the premises were clean. According to CBS affiliate WBTV, there was minor damage in the area where the flags had been burned.
Newell, who is a student at the Academy for the Arts, Science, and Technology, was arrested at his home Tuesday afternooon. Newell has apparently not made any sort of statement and at present, his motive for the flag-burning remains unknown. Off the top of my head, I would suggest that their may be an element of social protest to Newell’s actions, but there is definitely a heavy element of performance art. One hardly needs to dress up in dark black-and-gray storm trooper chic complete with a gas mask in order to burn a bevy of flags.
Jennifer Monemee, who lives in Newell’s neighborhood, said her American flag was recently stolen from her home. She was among the many parents who had to pick their up their children from school after the evacuation.
“I’m scared, unsafe, not knowing what’s around you and in your neighborhood. The school situation is even more scary, I have two in both of the schools in Horry County, St. James so that was nerve-wracking,” Monemee said.
Newell spent Monday night in jail and appeared in court at a bond hearing on Tuesday morning. Here’s how the charges and bond amounts break down:
Arson – $15,000
Weapons on School – $2,500
Disturbing Schools – $1,000
Malicious Damage – $1,000
Petit Larceny – $1,000
If Newell is released on bond, he will be required to wear a GPS ankle bracelet monitor. He will not be allowed to set foot on school property.
At the hearing, Newell’s lawyer, Regina Ward, stated that Newell had been going through a lot of stress during the weeks leading up to the burning. She apparently did not elaborate on the nature of his problems.
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This is not the first flag-related controversy to stir the pot in South Carolina schools. Last January, honors English teacher Scott Compton threw an American flag on the floor and stomped on it in front of his students — on three separate occasions in three classes over the course of a single day. Compton was later relieved of his job, but not before he received a whopping $85,000 settlement payout in addition to the regular salary and benefits he had received after he was placed on long-term administrative leave.
Due to the fact that he actually burned the flags — thus opening himself up to the arson charges — Newell may soon find himself wishing that he had followed Scott Compton’s example and merely stomped on the flags or found a different non-arson related way to show his disrespect for Old Glory. It will be interesting to see how seriously the authorities take this matter.