Colorado Gov. Jared Polis gave a history lesson to Colorado Springs educators who pulled a 12-year-old boy out of class for having a patch of the yellow Gadsden flag on his backpack.
A counselor at the Vanguard School, a charter school in the Harrison School District 2, told the boy, identified only as “Jaiden,” and his mother during a Monday meeting that the flag was not allowed to be displayed “due to its origins with slavery and the slave trade.”
The remark was shown in a video posted by Connor Boyack, president of Libertas and author of “The Tuttle Twins” books.
The mother challenged the counselor, saying the Revolutionary War-era yellow flag showing a snake and the “Don’t Tread on Me” slogan has “nothing to do with slavery.”
The counselor responded that she was enforcing district policy.
The video went viral Tuesday, prompting outrage from history buffs and a diplomatically worded correction from Mr. Polis, a Democrat.
“Obviously 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,” Mr. Polis tweeted.
“It appears on popular American medallions and challenge coins through today and Ben Franklin also adopted it to symbolize the union of the 13 colonies. It’s a great teaching moment for a history lesson!” he added.
The Washington Times has reached out to the district for comment.
Mr. Boyack also posted a Monday email from Jeff Yocum, Vanguard School executive director, who gave an explanation as to why “the Gadsden Flag is considered an unacceptable symbol.”
“Tied to the Confederate flag and other white-supremacy groups, including ‘Patriot’ groups,” said the email.
Mr. Yocum linked to an article about a 2014 complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, but the takeaway from the case was not that the panel found the flag racist.
“This decision addressed only the procedural issue of whether the Complainant’s allegations of discrimination should be dismissed or investigated,” said the commission. “This decision was not on the merits, did not determine that the Gadsden Flag was racist or discriminatory, and did not ban it.”
Mr. Boyack also posted a notice from the Vanguard School saying that Tuesday’s Back-to-School Night was canceled due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
As for Jaiden, Mr. Boyack said he returned to school Tuesday with “his patch in place.” He also posted a photo of Jaiden wearing a tri-corner hat, and said that two law firms have expressed interest in bringing a case on Jaiden’s behalf over viewpoint discrimination.
The Gadsden Flag was created by Christopher Gadsden, a South Carolina congressman, for Esek Hopkins, the first commander-in-chief of the U.S. Navy.
“The yellow flag with a rattlesnake and the words ‘Don’t Tread On Me,’ was flown by Hopkins from his flagship the USS Alfred and hoisted by Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones. It was also the first flag of the United States Marines,” said the Revolutionary War and Beyond website.
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.