School officials in southeastern Indiana apologized to parents after students were asked not to display American flags on the backs of trucks on campus.
Cameron Blasek was asked by school officials at East Central High School to remove the flag from his truck. The district later explained that this concern was due to the idea that flying one flag would allow all other flag types.
This was not explained to Blasek when she was consulted by the principal and counselor.
“‘Hey, Cameron, we have to take the flag off the back of the truck.’ I said, ‘That’s not happening,'” Blasek told local media. 765. “I told them it would be there all day today and first thing tomorrow morning, and they said if they didn’t remove it they would be charged with insubordination. And they said we could go to the office.” Please tell me more if you’d like. ”
Later that same day, Mr. Blasek was called into his office again to discuss the situation. He indicated to school officials that he was following both flag laws and the school’s code of conduct.
“I read Central’s 2023/2024 handbook and the word ‘flag’ was not even mentioned in the parking or driving sections. The only section mentioned is the flag-twirling section.” said the teenager. WCPO 9.
After the boy told his parents, his father apparently posted a lengthy post about the incident on Facebook.
“In my opinion, if you’re offended by the American flag, get out of the United States of America! If it was any other flag, would you have said anything?” the father asked. “I don’t know, but we can’t be angry about freedom of speech. Why would someone in the position of a high school principal think freedom of speech is good?” [to] Take away our freedom of speech? We support our son. ”
The father also claimed that the school intended to change the flag rules for the next school year.
”[My son] It was also said that next year’s student handbook will state that students are not allowed to display the American flag. ”
The day after Blasek met with educators, nearly 20 other students showed up with flags on their cars. Nevertheless, Blasek was called to the principal’s office.
”[Principal] “He told me that the school has the right to ask me to take down the flag. I’m pretty much just telling him, ‘You have to ask me to do it, but I don’t have to do it,'” Black said. I said no,” Blasek said.
The school’s principal reportedly told the boy it was okay to fly the national flag until the end of the year, and appeared to acknowledge the boy’s father’s insistence on future rule changes.
In a subsequent letter to parents, the principal said the school encourages “expressions of patriotism and pride in our country among students and staff.”
“After careful consideration, recognizing the importance of the American flag as a symbol of unity and national identity, we would like to inform you that we will allow students to display the American flag in the East Central parking lot. We understand.” “The importance of this symbol and the pride it brings to our students, teachers, and the entire school community. I share this pride,” Principal Tom Black wrote.
Superintendent Andrew Jackson said the school “misunderstood that if we allowed students to display the American flag in the parking lot, we must also allow them to display all other flags.” justified their actions.
“They were concerned about having to allow the use of controversial or offensive flags,” Jackson added.
Blasek cited national pride as the reason for proudly flying the flag.
“The men and women who fought and died for me and others to have the right to fly that flag in our front yards and in our trucks. , I appreciate it, and I believe it is one of my rights as an American to fly that flag, as is my First Amendment right,” Blasek said. he concluded.
The teen added that he is considering joining the military after high school.
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