(Todd Starnes) – A Florida high school will no longer allow the teenage son of a fallen police officer to honor his memory by bringing the “Thin Blue Line” flag onto the football field. Leaders at Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach say the flag has become a controversial symbol and some people considered the flag to be racist.
“The flag, which is known as the Thin Blue Line flag, has a different meaning for different people, and rather than representing the young man’s personal feelings, it was being interpreted as a political statement of the team and of the school,” principal Dean Ledford said in a statement.
“In consultation with the coaches, I determined that the act of using this flag in this personal way, while in the context of the football game opening ceremony, could easily be construed as representing a political position of our school and not just the personal feelings of the student and his teammates,” the principal added.
“Therefore, I have determined that it is no longer appropriate to continue.” The Fletcher Senators had been running onto the field with the flag for 11 games in the 2019 season. Online posters accused the team of being racist for waving the flag while running onto the field before games, News4Jax.com reported. CONTINUE
