Thomasville High School reprints yearbooks after Confederate flag appears on cover

THOMASVILLE, N.C. -- Hundreds of high school yearbooks in Davidson County are getting reprinted after a photo with a Confederate flag appeared on the cover.

Black and white photos were plastered on the cover of Thomasville High School's yearbooks, honoring the "A Blast from the Past" theme.

But when the books got distributed, it wasn't long before seniors like JacQuez Johnson noticed something unsettling: a Confederate flag being held up in what appeared to be a class photo from years prior.

"I reported it to them and they immediately recalled all of the yearbooks," he told WGHP. "I had to look it over about three different times before I actually honed in seeing it."

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School officials said only 10 students had the yearbooks before they took them back and issued a reprint.

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Thomasville City Schools Superintendent Dr. Catherine Gentry said the flag does not represent the school's beliefs.

"It's hurtful and harmful and it's not representative of the community we are trying to build in schools or the community that these kids live in," she explained.

She told WGHP the mixup is a great way to remind students and staff about cultural sensitivity.

"Regardless of your feelings or affiliations, there is a place for things," Gentry said. "School is not the place for some things. We need to make sure our students and our teachers are educated about cultural sensitivities around that symbol."

School officials plan on revising the yearbook staff's proofing system.