RHINEBECK, Tuesday, October 22—

In front of Rhinebeck High School, the flag flies at half mast against a vivid, blue sky. We stand in a small group of student journalists, and the flag towers over us, a picture of austere grandeur. 

It declares that today is a day of mourning. 

On October 17th, Democratic Congressman and Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Elijah Cummings passed away at age 68 in Baltimore, his hometown. His illness unknown, Cummings’s death came as a shock.

In commemoration of his public service, NY Governor Andrew Cuomo directed that all flags should fly at half-mast until October 25th. 

Although we might overlook our flag as we come and go from school each day, it’s an important symbol of American pride and freedom.

As our tired journalism class studied the flag and its graceful surrounding garden, questions arose.

Who takes care of our flags?  What does it mean to us?  

Because the flag outside our school is considered illuminated, it can stay raised overnight according to rules from the NY state office of general services. 

It turns out that there are many facts and protocols for handling the flag. For example, if it should ever become damaged or unsuitable to fly, the flag must be burned and replaced according to the the United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k.

That surprised many of us, since burning the flag in protest is considered such an unpatriotic act.

It also struck us when we learned of a local flag controversy. Last spring, our small town had a big issue on its hands about flying the POW/MIA flag in front of Town Hall. 

Flags trigger strong feelings for many people. 

Just know that every time you see the flag at half mast, it’s the result of our governor’s directive.  Find out more about who we are memorializing by following the US half-staff website.

Think about what this symbol means to you, and feel free to comment here or in a letter to our Editorial Staff ([email protected]).