Student leaves virtual class after teacher threatens to kick him out over Trump 2020 flag hanging in the background
A HIGH school teacher threatened to kick a student out of a virtual class if he didn’t remove a “Trump 2020” campaign banner from his camera view.
The teacher at Colusa High School in Colusa, California, gave the 16-year-old “to the count of 15” to remove the banner or reposition his camera before kicking him out – but instead, the teenager voluntarily left.
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Another student in the classroom recorded the incident as the chemistry teacher began counting, but the teen waved goodbye and left the Zoom meeting before the teacher even got to 10.
The boy’s mother, Tiffany, addressed the issue and demanding clear student guidelines from the school.
“With the distance learning we are all forced to do because of the new color chart, the school district has not addressed the student’s rights in their own home to the teachers or to us as parents,” Tiffany told KXTV.
The 16-year-old has not been punished for the incident, however, his mother said she is growing frustrated about Colusa High School’s policies since the school moved to virtual learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Let us know as parents what it is you’re expecting from us because this distance learning is horrible,” Tiffany told the outlet.
The mother said the teacher has apologized, but now wants clear guidelines from the institution such as what students can show in the background or where they should be during school hours.
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Colusa High School’s code of conduct states: “The Governing Board believes that free inquiry and exchange of ideas are essential parts of a democratic education.”
Regarding free speech, the student handbook reads, “The Board respects students’ rights to express ideas and opinions, take stands on issues, and support causes, even when such speech is controversial or unpopular.”
The student handbook also addresses free speech rules on-campus, off-campus- and “online media,” but does not address distance learning.