Why was the flag taken down? And when will a final decision be made?
WASHINGTON – Outrage among the Warren Hills community was quelled Tuesday night, when a flag memorializing their fallen friend and teammate, Evan Murray, was restored – at least for now.
On Tuesday, the Warren Hills Regional Board of Education voted unanimously to re-raise a flag bearing Murray's No. 7 next to the baseball field. But unlike in the past, when the flag flew alone, it will now fly below the American flag and will be accompanied by a spotlight.
"The American flag should be on top, bigger than Evan's flag," Warren Hills senior John Ike Smith said. "But we should still have the right to hang Evan's flag up there, absolutely."
The decision temporarily ends a contentious six-day span, during which the Warren Hills baseball team had to remove the flag – which had been flying for about 18 months – that stood in Murray's memory.
Murray, a three-sport athlete in the Warren Hills Class of 2016, died following a September 2015 football game.
"At this point, the flag will remain up until the end of the season," Board of Education president Lisa Marshall said. "And then the Board is going to have further discussion and we'll go from there."
"Nobody here directed the flag to come down," Board of Education president Lisa Marshall added. "What was followed was Board policy...we set policy, the administration follows that policy."
The flag was originally put up by Warren Hills' baseball parents following Murray's death. But head coach Joe Blackford said he was recently approached by athletic director Geri McKelvey, explaining that the flag violated district policy regarding memorials on school ground and needed to be taken down.
Blackford said he believed the school's administration had never connected the dots between the flag and the policy until recently. Marshall said that the Board of Education was not aware the flag had been flying for the past 18 months until it was informed on Tuesday night.
Two other memorials – a plaque by the football field and one soon to be erected in the gym – have been approved by the Board of Education.
"It's been flying there and no one's ever said a word," Blackford said. "We just thought it was understood that it was a nice way to show tribute toward Evan, so we didn't think there was any problem with it. To have it be this big of a deal is kind of frustrating and upsetting, but I'm glad it's finally getting passed."
Blackford informed his team of the decision and removed the flag alongside some of his players before their April 19 game against Hackettstown. Since then, the Blue Streaks have displayed the flag in their dugout and brought it on the road for a handful of games.
The team's passion for the flag came to a head on Monday night, when the entire squad and a group of parents attended the Board of Education meeting. During public comments, Smith read a letter from the team directed to the Board.
"Rules are good – they create order and without them, society would be chaos," the letter read in part. "However, for each of these rules, there are exceptions and this situation is that exception."
While the Board of Education agreed, its decision to keep the flag in place is not permanent.
Superintendent Earl C. Clymer III declined to comment on what the Board of Education might decide to do regarding the flag or a further memorial come the end of the season. Clymer said the Board needed to explore its options and that any statement at this time would be speculation.
But when the time comes to revisit the issue, Clymer and the rest of the Board of Education can expect to see Smith, Blackford and the rest of the Blue Streaks again.
"I think we're definitely going to come back," senior Tommy Moore said. "It's the right thing to do. Evan would do it for us."
"Even though our hands were tied and we really couldn't do anything, we're proud of the steps they're taking," Blackford said. "Because we couldn't go out there and just say, 'Guys, can you write this letter? Can you go and show your support at this meeting?' They took it upon themselves and to see them rally together – Ike mentioned in his letter how it's a family and it's really true. They all came together in a tough time."
Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at mstypulkoski@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.