Officials at a rural high school in southeastern Indiana apologized last Thursday after a social media post asking students to remove American flags from trucks on campus went viral, according to reports.
A counselor and assistant principal at East Central High School in St. Leon called student Cameron Blasek over the incident and threatened him with insubordination unless he removed the flag from his truck, local media outlet The 765 reported. report. Principal Thomas Black also told him the school had the right to request the flag be removed, he said.
“I told them from the beginning, ‘That’s not going to happen,'” Blasek recalled, according to Fox News. report. “I read their handbook, I read all the guidelines, I read Indiana law and everything that shows me that it’s completely legal and I have no problem flying that flag.”
WKRC reports that the only section of the school’s handbook that includes the word “flag” is the flag-twirling section.
The school argued that because Blasek’s truck was on school property, it was entitled to the request, and that schools can enforce rules on a case-by-case basis, even if unwritten. He is reported to have responded.
“‘That’s right,’ I said. ‘…But this is just a request, and the request doesn’t mean you’re asking me or saying I have to do it.’ By WKRC Blasek recalled responding to authorities.
Blasek said he did not know what prompted the complaint, WKRC reported. Officials’ concern was that other students might raise another flag that could be offensive, local media outlet The 765 reported. (Related article: University professor says seeing the American flag “makes me anxious”)
According to WKRC, the principal said there were no complaints about the American flag at the school, nor was there any insinuation that it was offensive. Despite this, posts like the following appeared on social media: One by Blasek’s mother. What I got was Over 6.5 million views on Libs on TikTok At the time of this report.
“People were texting me all night and everyone was going out and buying flags. I was getting messages. My phone was dead,” Blasek told WKRC. told.
Nearly two dozen students from the school reportedly displayed the national flag on their cars on Friday. School authorities relented.
“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 High School parking lot.” Read A copy of Black’s signed letter was shared Eagle Country 99.3 shows the community has raised concerns with authorities regarding the handling of the situation.
“I sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by the initial lack of clarity regarding this matter,” Black wrote.
Blasek, 17, has veterans in his family and plans to join the military when he graduates, WCPO 9 News report.
“I’ve always been taught to never back down from a situation that I believe in,” Blasek told Fox News. “That’s how I was raised, that’s how my family raised me, and I’m very grateful for that.”
