VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Chesapeake mom is upset about the presence of Confederate flags at a Veterans Day Parade in Virginia Beach.
Chante Cross said her daughter has blossomed after being in Girl Scouts for more than three years. She said her daughter used to be very quiet and mumbled when she spoke. Now, she's vibrant and outspoken. Together, the two of them really enjoy being part of Girl Scouts.
Last year, Cross and her daughter, along with other Girl Scout families, participated in the Virginia Beach Veterans Day Parade held by the Hampton Roads Council of Veteran Organizations where Cross said she saw Confederate Flags.
"The issue that I have is GS is a diverse organization. It's supposed to be inclusive, so to have our participation in this parade knowing what that flag means, what it represents, people not knowing what they're going to walk into is disrespectful in my opinion," said Cross.
The Vice President of the organization planning the parade said there were two out of 108 units with Confederate flags and there's a reason they're allowed to participate.
"The fact they were veterans fighting against one another in the U.S. during the civil war does not detract from the fact, they are American veterans who have the right to be represented in our Veterans Day parade," said Al Tase.
News 3 reached out to to Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast and they sent us a statement saying
"We are participants only. We do not force nor prohibit anyone from participating in the parade."
Cross said she's been in contact with her local Girl Scout group and feels disrespected they would allow Girl Scouts to participate in a parade with the Confederate flag. Because of this reason, she's considering separating from the organization.
