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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis defended the right of a student in his state to display a Gadsden flag patch on his backpack after the middle schooler was booted from school over it.
The 12-year-old student, identified only as Jaiden, was removed from The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs after school officials said the Gadsden patch was racist and “disruptive to the classroom environment.”
A school administrator originally incorrectly stated that the Gadsden flag was not allowed “due to its origins with slavery and the slave trade.” The flag was actually used during the Revolutionary War to represent unity among the American colonies.
During an interview with CNN’s Abby Phillip Wednesday night, Polis, a Democrat, said that students’ wearing of political symbols “enriches the discussion.”
“The ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ flag, the Gadsden flag, is really an iconic American flag,” Polis said. “It’s flown over units of our military. Has it been adopted by the Tea Party and others? Sure it has, but a kid could have an ‘I love the Tea Party’ pin on their backpack too.
“Let’s just let kids have their free expression in school, and if they want to advocate for their political beliefs, I think that’s something that should be encouraged. It’s all about free speech.”
“Do you think that that’s why this teacher made that association to slavery?” Phillip asked. “Because it has been associated with the right, with the Tea Party and perhaps with the Republican Party?”
Polis responded by saying that the incident presents a “good opportunity” to examine the history surrounding the Gadsden flag and how it relates to free speech.
“The rattlesnake, as Ben Franklin said, ‘They never attack first, but they never back down once they’re in a fight,'” Polis said. “And a lot of Americans identify with that spirit. But look, it goes deeper than that.
“If we want the moral high ground, Abby, to say that schools shouldn’t be banning rainbow flags on kids’ binders or backpacks to celebrate Pride, we have to also say they shouldn’t be banning free speech on the other side.
“This is a country that treasures free speech and frankly I hope it leads to a frank discussion, in that school and others around the country, about how free speech means that we support the speech even when we don’t agree with it,” he added.
The Gazette reported that the school’s board of directors called an emergency meeting Tuesday after video of the student’s scolding went viral on social media to walk back the decision.
Jaiden’s family was notified on Tuesday that he could return to school with the flag patch on his backpack.
“From Vanguard’s founding we have proudly supported our Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the ordered liberty that all Americans have enjoyed for almost 250 years,” the board wrote in an email to Vanguard families obtained by The Gazette.
“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.”
Nicole Wells ✉
Nicole Wells, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.