The parents of a California middle school student are calling for the school’s principal to be fired, saying their son was discriminated against because of his faith.
Jimmy Hayward, a student at St. Bonaventure Catholic School who was running for school spirit and patriotism committee, said he was “completely humiliated” after being banned from speaking at the school’s campaign meeting by principal Mary Flock. ” said the parents.
Hayward’s mother, Hattie Ruggles, claims her son was told to remove “all parts of patriotism” from his campaign speech or he would not be allowed to address the school assembly. In their speeches, students spoke about the importance of honoring veterans during the national anthem and when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
“Jimmy confronted her and told her he had no intention of removing the patriotism part from his speech,” Ruggles wrote. Change.org petition Demands that Flock be fired. “Then she told him he wasn’t going to give a speech. Jimmy sat on the podium while all the other candidates gave their speeches. Mary Flock told the children who were hosting the rally. , had Jimmy skip completely. He was on stage for an hour in front of the congregation,” his colleagues, teachers, and parents thoroughly humiliated by Mary Flock. . ”
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Parents of students at St. Bonaventure Catholic School are calling for the principal to be fired, saying they were unfairly barred from giving patriotic speeches before the school’s election rally.
A photo posted to a parent’s social media account shows the student wearing a red hat in the style of Donald Trump and an election poster. But instead of “Make America Great Again,” it says “Make SBS Great Again.” [Saint Bonaventure School] Great again. “
Ruggles said that after Hayward’s speech was banned, his father, Ed Hayward, confronted the principal and assistant principals at an assembly and forced his son to speak because “his views did not align with theirs.” I blamed it for not being there.
The principal then called the Huntington Beach Police Department to remove the upset father, but Ruggles said the father had already separated from students and staff. After officers showed up and spoke to Hayward, he was told he was “free to stay and watch with the rest of his family in attendance.”
The student’s mother claims the principal lied about the incident in an email sent to parents that day.
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Jimmy Hayward’s school election speech mentioned honoring the Pledge of Allegiance. (Courtesy of Kirk Cameron/Brave Books)
Screenshots of the alleged emails show Principal Flock explaining that Hayward wasn’t allowed to speak because he hadn’t received approval for the final version. Flock also said law enforcement had been asked to “ensure the safety and well-being of those who were present” with his father.
“This incident is a reminder of the importance of maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment within our school community,” the email said.
Hayward’s parents claim that the draft of their son’s final speech was submitted on time and was reviewed by the principal. St. Bonaventure Catholic School disputed this in a statement to Fox News Digital..
“St. Bonaventure Catholic School is dedicated to fostering a Catholic, Christ-centered learning environment that builds a community of respect and integrity. We encourage our students to share their thoughts and ideas. In line with this, our long-standing policy is to recognize that the ability to express oneself is important to growth and development, and we encourage freedom of speech.” Speeches require an administrative approval process, which ensures that the content is appropriate and in line with the school’s values and Christian code of conduct, and maintains a respectful atmosphere. It’s dripping. “This process applies uniformly to all students without exception,” the school said.
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St. Bonaventure Catholic School disputed Hayward’s parents’ claims in a statement to Fox News Digital. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
“If a speech does not receive final approval, we adhere to established guidelines, which means the student will not be allowed to give a speech. In this recent case, school administrators I felt encouraged by the words of patriotism, but disappointed by the content of patriotism.” Some perceived negative comments and asked for adjustments to be more positive. ”
“We understand the disappointment that recent circumstances may have caused. However, in order to maintain the integrity of St. Bonaventure School’s practices and Christ-centered learning environment, we We remain committed to maintaining a consistent and equitable approach for all students. ”
