A South Carolina high school has reversed a ban on students bringing US flags to football games after a furious backlash.
Travelers Rest High School stopped students carrying the stars and stripes from getting in to sporting events, fearing the flag was fanning racial tensions.
One student said he was told to put away the national symbol because “it could offend someone”.
Alivia Waynick, a senior at the school, described the clampdown in an interview with Greenville Online.
She said: “An administrator walked up behind me and said ‘No American flags,’ and I asked why and they said ‘because it could offend someone.
“When they told me I had to put it away, I respected their authority and I took my flag and put it up.”
The principal of Travelers Rest High School now says flags are allowed. https://t.co/kpNbF5ArkS
— Tim Waller (@timwallerWYFF) August 29, 2016
A row flared up over the weekend after Travelers Rest principal Lou Lavely tried to claim that the flag was part of a campaign of “taunting and disrespect” being waged against the rival Berea High, which has a large proportion of Hispanic students.
Lavely claimed the ban was to stop “unsportsmanlike” conduct – but ditched it two days later after complaints, including from the local police and students and Berea High who said they did not need to be protected from the US flag.
Greenville Online reported that the U-turn officially took place after a meeting Monday night with students and faculty.
Featured image credit: Robbie Cole/YouTube
