School says teenager cannot fly American flag, students push back

Student protestors at Edmond North High School in Oklahoma are standing up for the American flag after their school informed senior Caleb Horst he could not fly Old Glory.

“I've never really had problems with it before, and it's our first amendment, so it’s kind of hard for them to infringe upon our rights,” said Horst, who previously displayed his American flag from his truck in the high school parking lot. The school banned the patriotic array on Wednesday, prompting a swift backlash from the community.

On Monday, more than 50 cars with American flags surrounded the school in protest.

“The American flag is not like any other flag in the world,” explained Army veteran Leonard B. Scott III. “We fought for that flag; we have a right to raise that flag.”

“We should be allowed to fly it,” agreed another Edmond High School senior. “It’d be different if we were trying to make a political statement, but there’s nothing political about it.”

Unfortunately, many schools have become centers of controversy over the Stars and Stripes and other patriotic American symbols. Last August, young Jaiden Rodriguez went viral after being booted from class for wearing a Gadsden flag (“Don’t Tread on Me”) patch on his backpack. Earlier this year, UNC fraternity brothers protected the American flag on their campus after anti-Israel protestors briefly replaced the Star-Spangled Banner with the Palestinian flag. A California teacher removed the American flag from her classroom, suggesting that students should pledge allegiance to the Pride flag instead.

For all the media has to say about “threats to democracy,” it seems they have far less to say about the many attacks against America, our flag, and shared national heritage. Each step of the way, it’s the American people who step up to protect Old Glory — not the ruling class.

Caleb Horst and the brigade of flag-waving patriots surrounding Edmond North High School inspire us each to play our part in protecting the glorious crest for which many heroes have sacrificed and died.

To join us in that fight — the fight to ensure that the American flag never ceases to represent liberty and justice for all — sign the Convention of States petition below.