Colorado School Tells Young Boy He Can’t Have ‘Don’t Tread On Me’ Patch Because It’s Racist

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A young boy at The Vanguard School was allegedly told by school officials he couldn’t have a Gadsden flag patch because it’s racist.

Libertas president Connor Boyack released a video Tuesday morning of a boy by the name of Jaiden being told he couldn’t wear the patch on his book bag “due to its origins with slavery and slave trade.”

The boy’s mother appeared to be visibly confused by the Colorado Springs school’s stance. OutKick has reached out to multiple officials at The Vanguard School for comment. We haven’t heard back at the time of publishing.

You can watch the exchange below.

The Gadsden flag goes back to the time of the Revolutionary War.

The flag’s roots are not in slavery or the slave trade, but instead in the Revolutionary War. It was used by Esek Hopkins, the country’s first naval commander in chief, during the Revolutionary War, according to Britannica. The flag has lived on as a symbol of American independence and a sign of remaining free.

It has literally nothing to do with racism when viewed by anyone with a knowledge of history. Colorado Governor Jared Polis essentially tweeted the same Tuesday morning.

However, administrator Jeff Yocum cites the EEOC and at least two news articles as justification for not allowing it.

There’s just one problem with Yocum’s claim. The EEOC never claimed the flag was racist. In fact, it made clear it did not determine the flag was racist, but did cite how some people might use it inappropriately. Big difference between potentially inappropriate use and being racist.

A student in Colorado allegedly was told he couldn’t have the Gadsden flag on his bag because it’s rooted in racism. (Photo by Interim Archives/Getty Images)

“The Commission noted that, while the Gadsden Flag originated in a non-racial context, it has since been ‘interpreted to convey racially-tinged messages in some contexts,’ including its use by persons associated with white-supremacist groups who used the flag to drape the bodies of two police officers they had just murdered, and its display at a Connecticut fire house that was met with protests by African-American firefighters, ultimately resulting in the flag’s removal. Importantly, the Commission did not find that the Gadsden Flag in fact is a racist symbol. Rather, the Commission found only that the complaint met the legal standard to state a claim under Title VII, and therefore should have been investigated by the agency rather than dismissed,” the EEOC states on its website in relation to an investigation over the hat being used by a U.S. Postal Service worker.

Yocum linked to multiple articles about why the flag is racist and not allowed in certain places.

For the record, the United States military has used the “Don’t Tread On Me” symbol in actual war, and Navy SEALs have worn the message into combat.

The flag/patch used by the Navy is slightly different than the Gadsden flag, the message remains the same. The irony is Yocum allegedly cited in the email the Navy using “Don’t Tread On Me” slightly tweaked as the reason why it’s not acceptable.

It doesn’t add up logically. Furthermore, it’s literally a government issued license plate in Florida. Are we to believe the Florida government is promoting a racist message on cars?

This piece will be updated if anyone from The Vanguard School returns any of our many requests for comment. As of right now, it’s completely silent on that front.

ColoradoGadsden Flag

Written by David Hookstead

David Hookstead is a reporter for OutKick covering a variety of topics with a focus on football and culture.

He also hosts of the podcast American Joyride that is accessible on Outkick where he interviews American heroes and outlines their unique stories. Before joining OutKick, Hookstead worked for the Daily Caller for seven years covering similar topics.

Hookstead is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.

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