Two high school football gamers in Ohio– one the son of a cop and the other the child of a firemen– carried first responder flags onto the field before their video game Sept. 11 to honor the fallen heroes who passed away in attacks 19 years back– then were quickly suspended.
As the players took the field on a video game marketed as “Patriot Night,” they brought a “Thin Blue Line” and a “Thin Red Line” flag with them, leading another colleague who carried an American flag.
Their demand for authorization to bring the flags was denied by district authorities, according to the head of the Little Miami Local Schools Board of Education.
OHIO SCHOOL DISTRICT BANS THIN BLUE LINE FLAGS AFTER FOOTBALL PLAYER CARRIED ONE TO HONOR COACH
Brady Williams, a law enforcement officers son who plays cornerback for Little Miami High School, told the outlet he brought the flag to honor individuals eliminated in the Sept. 11 attacks.
He and his teammate, Jarad Bentley, denied the move was politically inspired. Bentley brought the “Thin Red Line” flag.
” The results reveal that there were no political inspirations behind this screen of support for very first responders on 9/11,” Board of Education President Bobbie Grice stated in a declaration. “But there were stances of insubordination.”
And by Monday they found themselves suspended from the team, the Cincinnati-based WKRC-TV reported.
The board of education and district administrators ultimately concurred– reversing the athletic directors suspension on Tuesday.
OHIO DEPUTIES RAISE THIN BLUE LINE FLAG OUTSIDE JUSTICE CENTER AFTER US FLAG STOLEN BY PROTESTERS, SHERIFF SAYS
” As the season continues, the only two flags that will come through the Little Miami football tunnel are the flag of the United States of America and the Little Miami spirit flag,” Grice stated.
” I dont care what my repercussions are,” Williams added. “As long as my message makes clear, Ill be delighted.”
Grice said the kids are enabled to return to practice which any potential punishment for stopping working to follow directions would come from their coaches, not district administrators.
It reversed a choice handed down Monday afternoon by athletics director Gregory Power, as WKRC reported.
” We cant have students who choose to do something anyhow after theyve been informed that they should not be doing it,” he informed the outlet.
The players said the dust-up was worth it.
” My father is a firefighter, and if it had been him killed on 9/11, I would have wanted somebody to do it for him,” Bentley informed WKRC.
He said he had issues that the flags were political in nature and could set a precedent, enabling other flags that had the prospective to stir up political controversy.
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The district also wished to avoid more screens after renewing the kids.
