athletes not standing during the National Anthem. Athletes from Colin Kaepernick, protesting the mistreatment of African-American citizens, to Brandon Marshall of the Denver Broncos, standing up to social injustice. Whether it be professional, colligate, or high school athletes, any citizen of the United States of America has a right to do as they prefer because of the First Amendment.
The Resolution adopted by Cortsen High School is unconstitutional and is an example of school administrators once again silencing their own students for for standing, or in this case, kneeling for their beliefs and rights. Demanding that all students show respect to America and the flag, goes against everything millions of men and women gave their lives for. The Founding Fathers created the Constitution so people were free to speak, believe, and protest what they thought fit. Purposely, they set no rules or guidelines to the extent of freedom of speech, and yet, school administrators and so many others oppose anything that isn’t their opinion. When did opinions start setting rules within school districts? All opinions are free to be spoken and demonstrated because that is the American way, and no Principal or Athletic Director has the power to deny any student the First Amendment.
While the Resolution all together oversteps the power that the school has, the second part of the Resolution is another violation that many schools have tried to enforce.
Cortsen High School took Conner’s punishment too far in the case of banning him from football and all other extracurricular activities. Excluding Connor from sports and school activities, which are shown to be beneficial for students in more ways than one, contradicts the very purpose that schools give to their students. Schools are meant to be a creative, social, and physical outlet for students who participate in sports, clubs, and other activities. Schools should focus on other topics, such as the problem of underage drinking throughout American, than one athlete kneeling for the fair treatment of the children of undocumented
immigrants.