Democratic Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado defended a schoolboy Tuesday who was allegedly removed from a classroom in his state because of a Gadsden flag patch on his backpack.
Jaiden Rodriguez, aged 12, was allegedly removed from class in The Vanguard School, a charter school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, because his backpack had a patch depicting a Gadsden flag, a symbol of the American Revolution that school authorities said was “linked to slavery.”
Polis, a Democratic governor serving his second term, commented on the flag and called it a “proud symbol of the American Revolution,” according to a post on Twitter, now known as X.
In the news: Trump Claims Florida Gov. DeSantis Is Quitting Race. DeSantis Team Responds It’s Fake News
“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,” Polis wrote. “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.”
The flag depicts a coiled rattlesnake rampant on an azure field above the words “DON’T TREAD ON ME” and was designed by Christopher Gadsden in 1775. The snake was adopted from cartoon, “Join, Or Die,” by Benjamin Franklin, which depicted eight of the 13 American colonies at the time as components of a woodcut rattlesnake.
The states of Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia permit drivers to obtain Gadsden flag-themed license plates when registering their vehicles.
In the news: Michigan Governor Readies Push To Make Abortions Even Easier To Get
School authorities cited the flag’s alleged ties to “the Confederate flag and other white supremacy groups” as well as “hate groups” to prohibit the flag, according to an email from the school’s director to the boy’s mother shared by Connor Boyack, a conservative education expert on Twitter, now known as X. In a conversation between authorities and the boy’s mother, an official told her that “the reason we do not want the flag is due to its origins with slavery and slave trade.”
The boy’s mother attempted the explain to school authorities the significance of the flag but was rebuffed by the official. “It has nothing to do with slavery … maybe you’re thinking of the Confederate flag,” she protested.
“It’s a great teaching moment for a history lesson!,” Polis said.
The school’s director did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Android Users, Click To Download The Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter. Signup for our free newsletter.
We can’t do this without your help; visit our GiveSendGo page and donate any dollar amount; every penny helps