A 17-year-old high school student from Indiana’s East Central High School recently went viral for refusing to remove the American flag from his truck after school officials allegedly instructed him to do so.
According to WCPO, 17-year-old Cameron Blasek stood his ground and defended the American flag when his counselor and vice principal allegedly told him that he was not allowed to have the flag displayed on his truck while it was parked in the school parking lot.
“The flag itself represents this country, this beautiful country that we live in,” Blasek added. “It also represents the people who fought their lives for it.”
Blasek told WCPO that his display of the American flag on his truck is in compliance with the U.S. flag code. He also noted that the school’s handbook did not mention the word “flag” in the entire parking lot and driving section.
“I think everybody gets offended over something that doesn’t mean what everybody says it does,” Blasek said. “This flag represents our country and the people who died for it and fought for it, and I respect that with my whole heart.”
Blasek told WCPO that shortly after he refused to remove the flag, a “huge support group” at the school began displaying the American flag on their own vehicles.
The “Libs of TikTok” X account shared Blasek’s story on social media, generating over 6 million views and prompting significant backlash against the school.
In a letter to parents on Friday, East Central High School Principal Tom Black said he wanted to “offer clarification” and “address recent concerns and confusions.”
READ MORE: School demanded student remove American flags from truck
“I am pleased to inform you that we are allowing the display of the U.S. flag by students in the parking lot,” Black wrote. The principal told WCPO that no complaints were received regarding the display of the American flag.
While Black said he reminded Blasek of the school’s rule, he noted that after discussing the issue with the school’s superintendent on Friday, the school district decided that American flags could be displayed on vehicles in the parking lot. However, the school said it could continue to “restrict” flags considered “inappropriate” for display at the school.
According to WCPO, Blackl claimed that he informed the students of the school district’s decision to allow the display of the American flag on Friday prior to the social media post that quickly went viral on social media.
“The inaccurate narrative is that we changed our mind due to social media backlash,” Black stated. “That is not true, as the timeline reveals.”
