American flag banned at middle school
At the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year in California, Cody Alicea rode his bike to Denair Middle School. The 13-year-old had an American flag attached to the back of his bike. He explained that he supported U.S. war veterans including his grandfather, Robert Alicea.
After two months without incident, in November, 2010, he was told to remove the flag. Reportedly, some students complained about the display and the school feared it could ignite racial tension on campus.
Cody Alicea
The school superintendent commented that it was a safety issue due to issues in May, 2010 when Hispanic students brought Mexican flags to school on Cinco de Mayo. The ban on Cody’s flag was out of interest for his safety and to keep the peace at school.
Cody did as he was asked and removed the flag from his bike. As soon as school let out, he reattached it for his ride home. He asked the school to reconsider its decision. He told one media outlet that “I’m supposed to be free in this country and I should be able to fly the flag wherever I want to.”
The day after Veteran’s Day, the school changed its mind and allowed Cody to display his flag. Cody received support for his position from across the country. U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan contacted him with words of support and encouragement. A few days later a parade of motorcycles escorted Cody to school.
Nice job, Cody. Always stand up for what you think is right. That is the very foundation of our country and the freedoms that our military live and die to protect.
