Burleson supporters exercise First Amendment rights

"Stop and think it over. Put yourself in those kids' position. They'll kick you off your throne and send your butt home. It's a Burke County tradition," sings Benton Blount, 29, to the tune of Hank Williams Jr.'s "Family Tradition."

Blount wrote his version of the song, "Burke County Tradition," in response to the Burke County Board of Education's recent decision to terminate Superintendent David Burleson's contract.

In contrast with some reported incidents of harassment and vandalism directed at some board members, others in the community shun illegal behavior and use other methods to exercise their right to free speech.

Blount began sharing his song on YouTube on Saturday. By Wednesday afternoon, 2,789 viewers had seen the video.

A Burke County native and 1997 East Burke High School graduate, Blount is pursuing a career in country music. He resides in Nashville, Tenn. He came home this past weekend to participate in a charity event, but met with a friend Friday at the student rally for David Burleson.

A few snippets about the Burleson situation had already reached him in Nashville, Blount said. Then the words of the students and board members Buddy Armour and Sam Wilkinson struck a chord within him.

The song is a combination of support for Burleson and speaking out, Blount said.

"Anymore, it seems that people are scared to put their names on something saying, 'I believe this,' and they're worried about not being politically correct," Blount said. He hopes people can stand up and "just lay it out on the line."

Bryan Searcy is speaking out for what he believes, too. His business, CBS Sports, 911 N. Green St., sells $10 T-shirts featuring caricatures of board members Tracy Norman, Tim Buff, Karen Sain, Rob Hairfield and David Barnard.

The shirts depict the five as band members under the name "The Bored of Ed." The caption reads, "The fabulous new super-group changing the future of local public education … whether you like it or not!"

Norman holds a burning copy of "The Kite Runner," Barnard is blindfolded and Hairfield has a Confederate flag flying in his back pocket.

Searcy has two high-school-aged children and said neither has been given the chance to speak in a public forum concerning the board's actions.

Searcy said he encouraged his children to speak out, but "don't break the law."

His son, Mason, helped organize the student rally Friday at Freedom Park. Searcy said his daughter, Katie, was escorted out of Monday's meeting when her public comment was not permitted.

Searcy said he teamed up with Mike Ballard of Screencraft in Drexel to come up with the T-shirt's satirical design.

Searcy said he rejected earlier designs, because they focused on personal attacks that he said are unnecessary and offensive in the debate.

"If everyone else has an avenue to express themselves, then do it," Searcy said.

Jimmy Steele is expressing himself with a homemade wooden sign in the bed of his pickup truck.

"We need to keep David Burleson," Steele said. "He is super for the kids, he's a good Christian man."

Steele had two children go through the county school system with Burleson as their superintendent.

His daughter helped him paint the sign. One side reads "Burke 4 Burleson. Trash Foul 5!!" The sign identifies Buff, Hairfield, Sain, Barnard and Norman as the "Foul 5." The reverse side continues, "End the Freak 5 show. Jacumin where r (sic) you?"

Steele said he has had positive reactions to his sign and he intends to display it until "all of this is resolved."

"All they're doing is hurting the children," Steele said of the board.

And this isn't the first fight Steele has engaged in involving the school system.

Steele said when Table Rock Middle School was in its planning stages there was an attempt to purchase another property. But by exercising his rights as a citizen, along with others, Steele said the construction went as planned on the current property.

Why does he fight so hard? Steele said his children are no longer in the school system, but he has plenty of nieces of nephews who attend local schools.

"I'm out for the children," Steele said.