I’m sorry, I thought this was America?
It seems like every school year there’s a new backlash after a school tries to tell students that they aren’t allowed to fly the American flag from their vehicles. It’s not a good look, it never ends well for the school…why do they keep doing it? And more importantly, who are these kids hurting by flying the stars and stripes (the same flag that was in literally every classroom when I was in school…and I assume still is).
But anyway, it’s happened again. And spoiler alert: It didn’t end well for the school.
According to WXIX, East Central High School in Indiana called senior Cameron Blasek to the principal’s office and told him he would have to remove the American flag that he had flying from his truck – a flag that Cameron said he’s had on there all year.
And he refused:
“The school came to me and told me, ‘You got to remove this flag. Otherwise, you’re going to get written up for insubordination.’ I kind of just told them straight up from the get-go, that’s not going to happen. I read them their own handbook and all their guidelines and Indiana state laws and everything that shows I’m perfectly legal and fine to fly that flag.”
Well it turns out Cameron wasn’t alone, and when his classmates heard about the school’s demand, they decided to show up with American flags of their own on their cars:
“I was kind of shocked. I’m like, ‘Holy cow, everybody’s got flags.’ I wasn’t expecting any of that but I thought it was kind of cool seeing everybody come together like that.”
And apparently the school quickly realized they were in the wrong (or at least realized they were fighting a losing battle), and just days later principal Tom Black released a statement saying that the school would “allow” students to fly the flag.
“After careful consideration and in recognition of the importance of the U.S. flag as a symbol of unity and national identity, I am pleased to inform you that we are allowing the display of the U.S. flag by students in the East Central High School parking lot.”
How nice of them. But maybe they should explain why they tried to ban it in the first place, and maybe apologize to the student that they threatened with discipline?
I dunno, that statement from the school just rubs me the wrong way. They’re trying to make it seem like they’re the good guys and doing this out of the kindness of their hearts for their students, when in reality it never would have happened if one student didn’t have the courage to stand up to them. That’s not a win for the school, that’s a win for the students.
The superintendent of the school district apparently said the dispute was apparently the result of a “misunderstanding” by the school, which thought that allowing the American flag meant that they would have to allow all flags.
As for Blasek, he says that he plans on joining the military after graduation and just wanted to show his pride for his country:
“Men and women fought and lost their lives for me and others to have the right to fly that flag in our front yard and our trucks. I respect and appreciate those heroes for that. I also believe it’s one of my rights as an American to fly that flag, as it says in my First Amendment right.”
