YORK, S.C. -- York Technical College says they will not allow the Confederate flag to be displayed at the Sons of Confederate Veterans annual conference scheduled on its campus next May.
Monday's announcement comes after the school was criticized about the event.
In an hhour-long press conference, York Tech leaders explained they are legally obligated to allow the event to happen on their campus, but made it clear the Confederate flag will be banned.
"I denounce the use of the Confederate flag and all of the negativity, racism and hatred associated with the flag," York Technical College President Greg Rutherford said.
Rutherford heatedly admonished local media, particularly The Herald, for implying that Confederate flags will be allowed on campus for the event.
"This is irresponsible journalism," he pressed. "Do you not have ethics? Who holds you accountable? Apologize on the front page, where you condemned us."
Current and former leaders of the paper stood up in return, to call the attack "childish" and "bulls**t."
Rutherford did admit the Sons of Confederate Veterans will hold their annual conference on campus at the Hood Center.
He added they have spent $30,000 on legal advice to see if they could terminate the contract, only to discover they could not.
"Surely somebody will tell us we have a way out of this," he said. "No. We will serve as their landlord under a contractual lease agreement."
But Rutherford made it clear they will not allow the group to display the Confederate flag.
"I will personally go around, pick them up and put them in the trash myself," he said.
Local NAACP leaders responded that they expect that to be enforced.
"We respect heritage," President of the Rock Hill NAACP Jaques Days said. "But there’s also been a lot of things that have come out of that group that indicate division, racism and hatred."
The Sons of Confederate Veterans usually have the Confederate flag displayed at their conventions.
Monday evening, members told NBC Charlotte this was news to them and that the school has told them nothing about the ban.