With the recent protests in Charlottesville, North Carolina, and the decision by Six Flags to remove the Confederate flag from three of the U.S. locations, Principal Amy Taylor made the decision to remove the six flags (United States, Mexico, Spain, France, Confederacy, Republic of Texas) from the second floor.

The flags were removed before the start of the school year, and students and staff were notified of the removal the first week of classes. Principal Taylor said the final decision was made in hopes of making Austin High a more inclusive environment where all cultures and heritages felt represented and valued.

While some are concerned as to why the administration did not consult with students and staff before making their final decision, there has been no major public backlash against the removal. Some teachers, like AGS English teacher Stacy Webster, believe that the removal of the flags was the right move by administration, even if staff was not advised beforehand.

“I do not believe that anyone on staff currently was a part of the decision making process to hang the six flags in the first place,” Webster said. “So I’m not sure why we would be consulted at their removal.”

Following their removal, Taylor hopes to initiate a new project to replace the six flags. An online form will be sent out to all students asking which flags best represent their heritage and culture. From there, those flags will be ordered and hung up around the school in hopes of representing the school’s diversity and inclusion.

Despite the hot topic of the removal of the confederate statues and flags around the country, many students, like senior Lauren Ballard, admit that they had no strong opinions about the flags that once hung over the library.

“It’s really not that big of a deal,” Ballard said. “I’m not gonna lie, I never really paid attention to them.”