Student banned from displaying Gadsden flag patch at school vindicated

Colorado student Jaiden Rodriguez has been allowed to display a Gadsden flag patch on his backpack after being unjustly pressured by his school to remove it. 

The historic flag depicts a coiled rattlesnake against a yellow background with the caption “Don't tread on me.” Rodriguez's patch caught the attention of staff at The Vanguard School in Colorado Springs, who claimed it must be removed because of its “origins with slavery and the slave trade.” The school deemed the patch “disruptive to the classroom environment” and stated that they “can't have that around other kids.” 

In actuality, the Gadsden flag has its origins in the American Revolution. The rattlesnake stood for the unity of the 13 colonies and served as a statement to the British government about Americans' determination to preserve their freedoms. The flag has no historical connection to slavery. 

Rodriguez was removed from class for refusing to take the patch off of his backpack, and his mother, Eden Rodriguez, was called in to meet with school officials.

A video of that meeting — in which Ms. Rodriguez confronts the historical inaccuracies of the accusation — has gone viral:

After the video received millions of views, the school retracted their earlier decision and is now allowing Rodriguez to display the patch at school.

Following the incident, Colorado governor Jared Polis spoke out about the importance of the Gadsden flag:

Ms. Rodriguez commented in the school meeting, 

We teach [Jaiden] to always stick up for your beliefs, and you're going over the Revolution in seventh grade. I mean, the founding fathers stood up for what they believed in against unjust laws. This is unjust.