The teacher of a virtual high school chemistry class told a sixteen year old student that he would be kicked out of class if he did not remove the “Trump 2020″ campaign flag from his bedroom wall.
The boy’s mother spoke with ABC10, and said that her son left the Colusa High School Zoom class before the teacher could remove him. “I made it very clear that when he repositioned the camera, either the flag needed to be removed or not in the background or she was kicking him out, and she gave him 15 seconds,” she said.
ABC10 noted, “Another student in the classroom took a recording of the virtual classroom as the teacher counted to 15.”
“At first I was furious,” the mother added, but said that the teacher had since apologized. “With the distance learning we are all forced to do because of the new color chart, the school district has not addressed the students’ rights in their own home to the teachers or to us as parents,” she added.
The student handbook for the Colusa Unified School District states: “The Governing Board believes that free inquiry and exchange of ideas are essential parts of a democratic education. The Board respects students’ rights to express ideas and opinions, take stands on issues, and support causes, even when such speech is controversial or unpopular.”
“Students shall have the right to exercise freedom of speech and of the press including, but not limited to, the use of bulletin boards; the distribution of printed materials or petitions; the wearing of buttons, badges, or insignia, and the right of expression in official publication. Student expression on school or Internet websites and online media shall generally be afforded the same protections as in print media. Students’ freedom of expression shall be limited only as allowed by Education Code 48707, 48950, and other applicable state and federal laws,” the student handbook continues.