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Gadsden flag patch raises controversy in Colo. classroom, governor gets involved


A Colorado charter school is reversing its decision to ban a Gadsden flag badge after a middle school student was removed from class for having a patch on his backpack. The “Don’t Tread on Me” flag was cited as an offensive symbol of slavery.

A video of a parent conference with school administrators went viral when the mother of the 12-year-old student defended her son’s right to have the badge on his backpack, calling the school’s actions “unjust.”

After a debate and series of emails between the parent and administration, the school board called an emergency meeting and decided to allow the boy to keep the patch on his backpack.

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis showed support for the student, saying, “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.”

While the focal point of the student’s removal from class was the Gadsden flag, the school district noted there were other badges of semi-automatic weapons. Those patches were taken off before the boy returned to class.

“The patch in question was part of half a dozen other patches of semi-automatic weapons,” the administrators said. “…The student returned to class without incident after removing the patches of semi-automatic weapons from the backpack.”

The Gadsden flag’s origins date back to the Revolutionary War, but in more recent years, it was adopted by the conservative Tea Party movement and has become increasingly associated with right-wing politics.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled in 2016 that the flag itself is not a racist symbol but is “sometimes interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts” while investigating a U.S. Postal employee complaint about a coworker wearing a hat with the flag.

The recording of the boy’s mother has been seen millions of times on social media, adding to an ongoing national debate over how some of America’s more “controversial” history should be taught and portrayed.

​​According to the Straight Arrow News Media Miss™ tool, this story is a Media Miss for the left. The Media Landscape indicates that while right-leaning outlets are covering this story, fewer – if any – left-leaning outlets are reporting on the topic.

Straight Arrow News strives to provide unbiased, fact-based news in addition to offering a comprehensive look at how the media is covering stories that matter most. Learn more about the Media Miss™ tool and decide for yourself.

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A CHARTER SCHOOL IN COLORADO HAS REVERSED COURSE AFTER BANNING A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT FROM CLASS BECAUSE A PATCH ON HIS BACKPACK OF THE GADSDEN FLAG WAS SEEN AS AN OFFENSIVE SYMBOL OF SLAVERY.

 

A VIDEO WENT VIRAL OF THE PARENT CONFERENCE WITH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS – WHEN THE MOTHER OF THE 12-YEAR-OLD STUDENT DEFENDED HER SON’S RIGHT TO HAVE THE BADGE ON DISPLAY.

HERE’S A FEW SNIPPETS OF THAT VIDEO, TAKE A LISTEN.

 

AFTER A HEATED DEBATE AND MUCH BACK AND FORTH  IN AN EXCHANGE OF EMAILS BETWEEN THE PARENT AND ADMINISTRATION  –

THE SCHOOL BOARD CALLED AN EMERGENCY MEETING AND – AFTER CAREFUL CONSIDERATION – ALLOWED THE BOY TO KEEP “DON’T TREAD ON ME” ON HIS BACKPACK.

 

LET’S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT HOW THE MEDIA IS COVERING THIS STORY.

AS YOU CAN SEE – THE COVERAGE IS HEAVILY UNBALANCED.

LARGELY RIGHT LEANING NEWS OUTLETS – LIKE FOX NEWS – ARE REPORTING ON THE GADSDEN FLAG CONTROVERSY – WHICH ULTIMATELY WENT IN THE STUDENT’S FAVOR.

LEFT-LEANING OUTLETS – LIKE CNN, NBC AND OTHER MAINSTREAM OUTLETS — HAVE LEFT THE STORY OUT OF THE NEWS CYCLE.

WHEN A SCALE IS TIPPED THIS HEAVILY – IT CAN SHOW A MEDIA-BIAS IN STORY SELECTION.

SOMETHING WE POINT OUT WITH OUR MEDIA MISS TOOL THAT YOU CAN FIND AT S-A-N DOT COM.

 

THE GADSDEN FLAG, WHOSE ORIGINS DATE BACK TO THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR-   WAS ADOPTED IN RECENT YEARS BY THE TEA PARTY –

AND NOW LARGELY ASSOCIATED WITH CONSERVATIVES AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

WHILE THE SYMBOL MAY BE A POLITICAL ONE –

IT’S NOT A RACIST ONE – ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL “EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION”.

WHO RULED – WHILE IN SOME CONTEXTS – THE FLAG IS SOMETIMES INTERPRETED THAT WAY –

THE FLAG ITSELF IS NOT A RACIST SYMBOL..

 

THE COLORADO GOVERNOR AGREED.

QUOTE –  “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.”

 

WHILE THE FOCAL POINT OF THE STUDENT’S REMOVAL FROM CLASS WAS THE GADSDEN FLAG –

THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTED THERE WERE OTHER BADGES PRESENT OF SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONS.

THOSE PATCHES WERE REMOVED BEFORE THE BOY RETURNED TO CLASS.

 

FOR THE BOY’S MOTHER –

HER RECORDING WAS SEEN MILLIONS OF TIMES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

WHICH STRUCK A NERVE WITH A NATION IN AN ONGOING CONVERSATION  

OVER HOW SOME OF AMERICA’S MORE “CONTROVERSIAL” HISTORY SHOULD BE TAUGHT OR PORTRAYED.