In a win for patriots, a charter school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has reversed its decision to forbid a Jaiden, a 12-year-old boy, from attending class with a backpack with a Gadsen Flag patch.
Fox News reported that school administrators claimed the flag is linked to slavery and is “disruptive to the classroom environment.”
RTM previously reported that a now-viral video of Jaiden and his mother meeting with a school administrator showed the administrator steadfastly claiming the flag, which has the logo “Don’t Tread on Me,” has “origins with slavery.”
Jaiden’s mother unsuccessfully argued that the flag was linked to the American Revolutionary War — not slavery — and was a symbol of the 13 colonies’ fight against British oppression.
When the boy’s mother asked what would happen if Jaiden didn’t remove the patch, the administrator said: “The bag can’t go back if it’s got the patch on it, ’cause we can’t have that in and around other kids.”
The mother was referred to Jeff Yocum, The Vanguard School’s director of operations. Yocum defended the decision by citing a “graphic design scholar” from Iowa State University, Paul Bruski, who said, “Because of its creator’s history and because it is commonly flown alongside ‘Trump 2020’ flags, the Confederate battle flag and other white-supremacist flags, some may now see the Gadsden flag as a symbol of intolerance and hate – or even racism.”
Yocum also claimed the Gadsen flag violated the school’s policy outlawing symbols that “Refer to drugs, tobacco, alcohol, or weapons.”
Vanguard School administrators received significant criticism for their disciplinary action against Jaiden.
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Connor Boyack, president of the Libertas Institute in Utah, challenged The Vanguard School Board of the director’s decision. His pressure and significant pushback across social media channels prompted Vanguard administrators to reverse their decision.
Boyack celebrated the decision: “We won! Let this be a lesson — document your encounters w/ government employees. Had Jaiden’s mom not recorded the video, this wouldn’t have got nearly the attention that it did.”
Boyack wrote of the school’s about-face on the matter:
“The Vanguard School recognizes the historical significance of the Gadsden flag and its place in history. This incident is an occasion for us to reaffirm our deep commitment to a classical education in support of these American principles.”
Boyack added: “At this time, the Vanguard School Board and the District have informed the student’s family that he may attend school with the Gadsden flag patch visible on his backpack.”
Vanguard administrators released a statement to a local news outlet KOAA News on Tuesday:
There has been National media attention on our charter school, The Vanguard School, related to a student having the Gadsden flag on his backpack. Unfortunately, this story is incomplete. The patch in question was part of half a dozen other patches of semi-automatic weapons.
The student has removed the semi-automatic patches. As a school district, we will continue to ensure all students and employees can learn and work in a safe and nurturing environment. The student returned to class without incident after removing the patches of semi-automatic weapons from the backpack.
The Vanguard School and Harrison School District 2 worked in collaboration to resolve this matter.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) defended the Gadsen flag as “a proud symbol of the American Revolution and an iconic warning to Britain or any government not to violate the liberties of Americans.”
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