JeffCo teacher and flags back in class

Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 24, 2006 at midnight

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Carmody Middle School geography teacher Eric Hamlin will be back in class Thursday, with his flags.

Principal John Schalk suspended Hamlin Wednesday from the Lakewood school for violating a state law against displaying foreign flags on public property. School district officials acknowledged Thursday that the three foreign flags in Hamlin's class fall under an exception for educational displays.

The seventh-grade teacher has more than 50 flags, purchased at his own expense, that he uses during the course of the school year.

"I think everybody agreed this morning that the main thing is to get a highly qualified teacher back in the classroom for the good of the kids," Jefferson County school spokeswoman Lynn Setzer said.

Going back up in his classroom will be the flags of China, Mexico and the United Nation, which Hamlin is displaying during the first six weeks of the semester.

"The flags should be able to fly to celebrate diversity," Hamlin said.

Hamlin still faces charges of insubordination for violating an order to remove the flags. He has already received a letter of reprimand, Setzer said.

Hamlin said he'll be meeting with Schalk this afternoon.

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