Colorado Gov. Jared Polis gave a historical past lesson to Colorado Springs educators who pulled a 12-year-old boy out of sophistication for having a patch of the yellow Gadsden flag on his backpack.
A counselor on the Vanguard School, a constitution faculty within the Harrison School District 2, instructed the boy, recognized solely as “Jaiden,” and his mom throughout a Monday assembly that the flag was not allowed to be displayed “due to its origins with slavery and the slave trade.”
The comment was proven in a video posted by Connor Boyack, president of Libertas and creator of “The Tuttle Twins” books.
The mom challenged the counselor, saying the Revolutionary War-era yellow flag exhibiting a snake and the “Don’t Tread on Me” slogan has “nothing to do with slavery.”
The counselor responded that she was imposing district coverage.
The video went viral Tuesday, prompting outrage from historical past buffs and a diplomatically worded correction from Mr. Polis, a Democrat.
“Obviously the Gadsden flag is a proud symbol of the American revolution and [an] iconic warning to Britain or any government not to violate the liberties of Americans,” Mr. Polis tweeted.
“It appears on popular American medallions and challenge coins through today and Ben Franklin also adopted it to symbolize the union of the 13 colonies. It’s a great teaching moment for a history lesson!” he added.
The Washington Times has reached out to the district for remark.
Obviously the Gadsden flag is a proud image of the American revolution and a iconic warning to Britain or any authorities to not violate the liberties of Americans. It seems on fashionable American medallions and problem cash via at present and Ben Franklin additionally adopted it to…
— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) August 29, 2023
Mr. Boyack additionally posted a Monday e mail from Jeff Yocum, Vanguard School govt director, who gave a proof as to why “the Gadsden Flag is considered an unacceptable symbol.”
“Tied to the Confederate flag and other white-supremacy groups, including ‘Patriot’ groups,” mentioned the e-mail.
Mr. Yocum linked to an article a couple of 2014 criticism filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, however the takeaway from the case was not that the panel discovered the flag racist.
“This decision addressed only the procedural issue of whether the Complainant’s allegations of discrimination should be dismissed or investigated,” mentioned the fee. “This decision was not on the merits, did not determine that the Gadsden Flag was racist or discriminatory, and did not ban it.”
Meet 12yo Jaiden who was kicked out of sophistication yesterday in Colorado Springs for having a Gadsden flag patch, which the college claims has “origins with slavery.”
The faculty’s director mentioned by way of e mail that the patch was “disruptive to the classroom environment.”
Receipts within the 🧵 pic.twitter.com/qQ8jK1zSpR
— Connor Boyack 📚 (@cboyack) August 29, 2023
Mr. Boyack additionally posted a discover from the Vanguard School saying that Tuesday’s Back-to-School Night was canceled on account of “unforeseen circumstances.”
As for Jaiden, Mr. Boyack mentioned he returned to highschool Tuesday with “his patch in place.” He additionally posted a photograph of Jaiden sporting a tri-corner hat, and mentioned that two regulation companies have expressed curiosity in bringing a case on Jaiden’s behalf over viewpoint discrimination.
The Gadsden Flag was created by Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina congressman, for Esek Hopkins, the primary commander-in-chief of the U.S. Navy.
“The yellow flag with a rattlesnake and the words ‘Don’t Tread On Me,’ was flown by Hopkins from his flagship the USS Alfred and hoisted by Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones. It was also the first flag of the United States Marines,” mentioned the Revolutionary War and Beyond web site.
Content Source: www.washingtontimes.com