(GoRealNewsNow.com) – In a move that has outraged millions of patriotic Americans, local news outlets report that a Virginia school district has punished a high school student for flying the American flag on his truck, leading him to complain of a First Amendment rights violation and switch to homeschooling.
Christopher Hartless, a Staunton River High School senior, had put two American flags on his red Toyota Tacoma truck.
However, school officials ordered him to remove the flags because they were “a distraction to other drivers and a safety concern,” WSET reports, as cited by Breitbart News.
“I don’t understand how it’s a distraction if they have one on the flagpole that every other student can see,” Hartless told the local news outlet.
After he refused to comply with the order, the Bedford County school district revoked his parking pass.
Hartless’ stepmother, Christina Kingery, announced that the family didn’t want their son to take the bus to school, so they decided to withdraw him from the school system and homeschool him.
According to a statement by school district officials, flying flags on vehicles is against “the student parking contract which has been used by all 3 of our high schools for many years,” and which the teen had signed.
“The BCPS Code of Student Conduct prohibits ‘Attire that has language or images that are offensive, profane, vulgar, discriminatory, or racially/culturally divisive. This would include confederate flags, swastikas, KKK references, or any other images that might reasonably be considered hurtful or intimidating to others,’” the district declared.
“It does not include wearing clothing with American flag logos or prints on attire. This attire is allowed. Large flags or banners are not allowed to be flown or displayed on vehicles due to their distractive nature. Please be assured that we proudly fly the American flag throughout the school,” it added.
The statement also pointed out to parents that the Pledge of Allegiance is recited every morning.
Hartless’ family declared their full support for him.
“I think that every student [–] doesn’t matter what you believe in, what flag you fly, as long as it’s not harmful and it doesn’t disgrace our country, you have the right to fly it,” Kingery said.