High School Bans American Flag From Football Games

Travelers Rest High School banned the American flag from football games.

High School Bans American Flag From Football Games

Travelers Rest, South Carolina – The Travelers Rest High School has banned American flags from being brought to their football games.

Principal Lou Lavely defended the decision to ban the flags, noting that the school’s opponent, Berea, has a large Hispanic community. In the past, the American flags were allegedly waved in a taunting manner at the Hispanic Berea students. Lavely was reportedly trying to protect the Hispanic students and protect the American flag from being used in a disrespectful manner.

Beth Brotherton, Greenville County Schools spokeswoman said that in the past, agitators “used the US flag, in conjunction with verbal taunts, to target Hispanic members of the Berea community in a manner that was both unsportsmanlike and also a misuse of our flag.”

Hunter Ballew took to Facebook on Saturday to post his account of what happened when he tried to bring in a flag:

Lou Lavely, Travelers Rest High School Principal, continues to power trip and strip young Americans of the right to proudly boast this Nation’s flag.

Last night I picked my brother up from the TRHS Football game and he told me that Lavely had denied entry to a couple of young men with American flags. I can’t deny the rage I felt as this is the third incident I’ve had involving Lavely and the flag I love.

First, the day after Osama was killed in 2011 we were told we couldn’t have the American flag on our trucks on school property and the TRPD came and handled the situation. Lavely later apologized to our group.

Second, I was picking up my youngest brother and saw two high school boys handling our flag with disrespect at the flag pole as they let it drag the ground and he acted like it was not an issue.

Third, last night as I took the flag and attempted to enter myself he stated, “I have the authority to tell anyone they can’t bring it on the property.” Unfortunately the cops were not helpful and sided with Lavely even after stating “you’d probably win if you took it to the school district.” I’m no expert and don’t know the laws in and out. But.. if he has the power to strip Americans the right to boast the American flag after being pumped up about our Olympic run there is a much bigger problem. A problem that need to be resolved.

I’m sick of this political correctness. We need to do something about it because it’s not getting any better.

Officers who were present at the game were apparently unaware of the no-flag rule until a verbal altercation started when school administrators tried to tell people not to bring in the flags.

The police chief said that he disagreed with the decision to ban the flags. Traveler’s Rest Police Department Chief Crowe said, “I have to wonder if no taunting would have taken place where it needed police intervention and everyone would have left happy.”

Update: After the huge public outcry about the incident, the principal agreed to allow flags into the football games as long as people didn’t wave them in a taunting manner.