The Baltimore County public school system is said to have stopped high school students after pushing schools to hang American flags in two classrooms where no flags are displayed, as required by state law.
Parker Jensen, an 18-year-old Marine Corps enlisted, has since sued the district and allegedly was accidentally stopped after expressing concern about the flag at Towson High School in northern Baltimore.
The flag is missing from his two classrooms and he approached the Baltimore Board of Education on the issue.
“He really thought there was something that could really be solved easily. He was looking forward to finishing his fourth year,” Jensen’s lawyer Sarah Spitanic told Fox News Digital. “He definitely discouraged that he filmed this route in a way that retaliated and punished him. And it put a big damper on his fourth grade. At this point, he is not yet allowed to go to the prom. He knows he doesn’t like him yet.
The issue began in February when two of his classrooms were found to have American flags, despite Maryland law mandating that all public school classrooms need flags.
“This experience has personally impacted me both in positive and negative ways,” Jensen told Fox News Digital in a statement. “On the negative side, I was stopped, illegally trespassed, my characters were unfairly vilified by my administration and poorly treated by my teachers when I returned to school. Those moments were difficult and discouraged.
“But on the positive side, I believe my tenacity in standing up for patriotism may have opened the eyes of others to the importance of patriotism in our school system,” Jensen said. “At the end of the day, I think it was beneficial not only for me but for the school community as a whole, and it reminds me that it is a civic responsibility and that the government is responsible.
Jensen approached the school’s assistant principal on the issue in February.
Jensen said he had not received a response as of March 28 when he approached the Baltimore School Board on the issue.
BCPS did not comment on the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital, saying, “Towson High School has already placed flags in those classrooms, and the allegations of inaction are inaccurate.”
Jensen visited the board’s office in person on March 28 and filed a formal complaint during normal business hours, the lawsuit states.
Jensen signed in as a visitor and recorded his actions with the supervisor during his visit to the office. The complaints say there are no indications of recording banning it, and Jensen points out that he has the right to record it in public buildings.
“A supervisor emerged from behind a safe glass door and asked if the plaintiff had recorded it. The plaintiff asserted his constitutional right to do so,” the lawsuit reads. “The supervisor requested that the plaintiff’s records be stopped and leave the building despite his presence in public areas and lack of destructive behavior. The plaintiff cited his right to be in a public building and cited his right to be in a public building about five minutes later.
Five officers responding to the scene apparently told Jensen that they needed to be qualified journalists to record in the school board building.
“They had police escort him. Police also issued a statement that only reporters could film within their property. “They lied to him and said that what he was doing was illegal when they had all the rights he had to do what he did.”
In his video, Jensen can be heard saying, “Three cop cars for kids? Five cop cars?”
He then turns to one of the corresponding officers and asks, “You don’t think it’s a waste of resources, sir?” The officer shook his head, as Fox 45 first reported.
Towson High School principal Kimberly Calvertson called Jensen’s mother on March 28, saying that her son was arrested and suspended for “impersonating a journalist” and “disrespectful.”
Baltimore County Public School officials then banned Jensen from all BCPS Central Office property, and the district cited his “destructive” and “threatening” behavior and suspended senior high school students until April 8, the complaint states.
“The plaintiffs had no hearing or opportunity to challenge the suspension before it was imposed,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit accused BCPS of retaliation for expressing his First Amendment rights and violating his 14th Amendment rights and honor losses.
Jensen claims his high school promoted a T-shirt showing the LGBTQ pride flag and posted a flyer showing “immigration support and resources” information.
“[H]E faced retaliation to defend the military and the safe border, defend Donald Trump, and defend Elon Musk. In detail in this lawsuit, Jensen’s school will praise the American flag and punish him for expressing the right-wing perspective, pushing forward all left-wing causes,” the complaint states.
