Staff Reports
A middle school student from Colorado named Jaiden Rodriguez got into a viral video exchange with a school official after he was asked to leave class because of his backpack, which contained a patch that featured the Gadsden flag. The school administrator claimed that the flag had been associated with slavery, but Rodriguez's mother said that the historical symbol actually originated from the Revolutionary War.
The video, which was posted on social media, gained widespread attention and caused ridicule and backlash against the school's administration. This led to Jaiden being reinstated to school.
Meet 12yo Jaiden who was kicked out of class yesterday in Colorado Springs for having a Gadsden flag patch, which the school claims has "origins with slavery."
The school's director said via email that the patch was "disruptive to the classroom environment."
Receipts in the 🧵 pic.twitter.com/qQ8jK1zSpR
— Connor Boyack 📚 (@cboyack) August 29, 2023
The creator of the popular book series, Connor Boyack, demanded accountability in the situation. He noted that the school administrator should be disciplined or fired. According to Boyack, the boy, who is a fan of his books, had hoped to reach out to the media for help due to his legal issues. However, when no one from the local NBC affiliate contacted him, the boy's family reached out to Boyak.
The first person to post the video was Boyack. The incident quickly went viral after it was shared online. According to the school administrators, the reason for the flag's removal was not just about its design but also the other patches in Rodriguez's backpack, which featured images of semi-automatic rifles.
Due to the incident, the school board had to hold an emergency meeting. Jaiden was forced to fight the school's decision to remove his patches. Boyack, who praised the boy for his stance, said that he was thrilled that the boy had been reading his book series for years and that he believed that he was an inspirational individual. The conservative author also hopes that other students will follow Rodriguez's example and fight for the country's future.
