Student says school told him to remove American flag from his truck

ST. LEON, Ind. (WXIX/Gray News) - An Indiana high school student says adminstrators told him he had to remove the American flag on his truck, only to change their decision a day later.

Cameron Blasek, a senior at East Central High School, says he was called into the principal’s office Thursday and was told to remove the flag from his truck while on school property. Blasek says he has flown the flag from his truck for the entire school year without issue, WXIX reports.

“The school came to me and told me, ‘You got to remove this flag. Otherwise, you’re going to get written up for insubordination,’” Blasek said. “I kind of just told them straight up from the get-go, that’s not going to happen. I read them their own handbook and all their guidelines and Indiana state laws and everything that shows I’m perfectly legal and fine to fly that flag.”

When news of the incident reached the student body, Blasek found out he had support. Several other students began flying the flag from their vehicles when they came to school.

“I was kind of shocked,” Blasek said. “I’m like, ‘Holy cow, everybody’s got flags.’ I wasn’t expecting any of that, but I thought it was pretty cool seeing everybody come together like that.”

Principal Tom Black released a statement on Friday.

“After careful consideration and in recognition of the importance of the U.S. flag as a symbol of unity and national identity, I am pleased to inform you that we are allowing the display of the U.S. flag by students in the East Central High School parking lot,” Black said.

Blasek says he hopes in the future, students won’t be afraid to stand up for what they feel is right and that they understand the importance of freedom of speech.

“I was always taught never to back down from a situation that you believe in,” Blasek said. “That’s just the way I was raised. My family raised me that way, and I’m very grateful for it.”

WXIX reached out to several school officials to ask why they reportedly told Blasek to remove the flag from his truck, only to reverse their decision the next day, but haven’t heard back.

Blasek’s family says they have heard rumors that the Sunman-Dearborn Community School district may implement a new rule for next school year that would not allow students to display the U.S. flag from their vehicles while on school grounds.

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