A 12-year-old student was taken out of a classroom in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Monday because he had a Gadsden Flag patch on his backpack.
A school representative informed both Jaiden and his mother that the flag was prohibited due to its association with “origins of slavery and slave trade.” They insisted that the flag had to be removed as it was causing a disturbance in the classroom environment.
Jaiden’s mother contested the charter school’s explanation, highlighting that her son was expressing his beliefs.
“It’s not related to slavery at all. It’s like the Revolutionary War emblem that they used during their fight against the British,” she stated.
The administrator responded, “The bag can’t be allowed with the patch on it, as we can’t permit that around other students. I am here to implement the district’s provided policy. Of course, you have the right to disagree with it.”
The Vanguard School considers the “Don’t Tread on Me” flag an “inappropriate symbol,” according to director Jeff Yocum. This detail was disclosed in an email obtained by Connor Boyack, the President of the Libertas Institute.
Yocum referred to an article from The Conversation, in which a professor asserted, “Due to its creator’s background and its common display alongside flags like ‘Trump 2020,’ the Confederate battle flag, and other flags associated with white supremacy, some individuals might now interpret the Gadsden flag as a symbol of intolerance, hate, or even racism.”
Furthermore, Yocum reportedly indicated that the Gadsden Flag violated the district’s dress code, which prohibits symbols “associated with drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or weapons.”
