SANTA CLARA, CA- A campus safety officer for Santa Clara University might face termination because he had a Blue Lives Matter emblem in his Zoom background during a diversity meeting.
According to a report from Campus Reform, multiple university administrators sent an email to the campus community saying that the “incident damaged the trust and faith” that the university has been trying to build.
The email read in part:
“The assistant director of Campus Safety Services (CSS) participated in the event with a postcard on a bookshelf behind him that is widely considered to be an effort to undermine the Black Lives Matter movement and its universally important goals.”
The email added:
“We deeply apologize for this incident and the hurt it as caused.”
Santa Clara University profusely apologizes for a ‘Blue Lives Matter’ sign that was visible during a Zoom meeting by a campus Safety Official. The University made clear that Blue Lives do not matter. No lives matter except black lives, especially if they are shooting at police.
— John Black (@JohnBla27209136) November 3, 2020
Following the incident, the Santa Clara University College Republicans voiced their concerns over a post the Santa Clara Multi-Cultural Center (SCMCC) shared on their Instagram page from another group, that said the Blue Lives Matter postcard is “a white supremacist icon” and “an anti-Black symbol.”
Their post read:
“In regards to the events that took place at the end of our forum, we would like to apologize. As a council, we overestimated the ability of the invited administrators to create and maintain a safe space necessary for BIPOC students.
SCU has committed to being an ‘anti-racist institution’ and from the actions demonstrated last night, this is clearly not the case.”
This afternoon, the @SantaClaraUniv administration sent this email regarding a diversity meeting the night before in which a Campus Safety Officer displayed a blue lives matter emblem behind him. The school has labeled this an incident of racial hatred. pic.twitter.com/vivOSMWidN
— Santa Clara University College Republicans (@SCU_CR) October 29, 2020
In response to the Zoom incident, the SCMCC called for the campus safety officer to be fired.
The College Republicans posted screenshots of the SCMCC posts to its Twitter page, sharing that the University has labeled the Zoom incident an incident of racial hatred. Eoan Harrison, President of the College Republicans at Santa Clara said in a statement:
“We are disappointed in the university’s decision to label this an incident of hatred, and in their subsequent calls for his firing.”
He added:
“Santa Clara University College Republicans is firm in its support of our police officers and law enforcement. We are ashamed of the university for their response to this incident. It is regrettable that SCU is choosing to label supporters of police officers racists.”
It was literally a postcard on a bookshelf behind him. They’re acting like the campus safety officer was waving a blue lives matter flag.
Hey Santa Clara Univ College, #BlueLivesMatter https://t.co/NzC14HFqmt— MagentaRat (@RatMagenta) October 29, 2020
As of this writing, a University spokeswoman declined to comment to Campus Reform, calling it a “personnel matter.”
Back in early September, Muhlenberg College, in Pennsylvania promptly removed Blue Lives Matter face masks from their campus bookstore, after the school’s Office of Multicultural Life complained. In its email to the college community, Chief Business Officer and Treasurer Kent Dyer said:
“Earlier this spring the bookstore ordered a range of different masks to make available to our community. Among them was a mask with markings associated with the ‘Blue Lives Matter’ movement or the ‘Thin Blue Line. These masks were removed from the bookstore as soon as the situation was reported to the College.”
He added:
“Having this merchandise in the College store is inconsistent with our institutional values.”
.@Muhlenberg College trashes the sale of pro-police masks from their bookshop, linking the #ThinBlueLine to white supremacy.
A slap in the face to our law enforcement heroes.https://t.co/8bZLXt5IlB
— Rabbi Shmuley (@RabbiShmuley) September 3, 2020
In his email, Dyer claimed that the Blue Lives Matter flag is linked to “white supremacist [sic]” and “alt right” groups, and that it is “a symbol that seeks to discount and erase concerns related to police brutality and other aspects of the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Muhlenberg senior Ariel Abergel told Campus Reform that by linking the thin blue line to white supremacists, the schools administration, led by Dean Allison Gulait, is clearly trying to “foster division and sow hatred” within the student body.
Abergel said:
“They are doing so by spreading lies. The thin blue line is not affiliated with any one group, it has no racist undertones and it certainly does not represent a BLM counter movement.”
Muhlenberg College is disgusting. #MuhlenbergCollege
Pennsylvania college removes ‘thin blue line’ coronavirus masks after critics call them ‘offensive’https://t.co/2MNVPMLorG
— Deplorable Me! (@Haamrtime) September 3, 2020
Abergel said that the statements made by the college are:
“Rooted in falsehoods and represent not only a proclamation that Muhlenberg College views police officers as villains, but also a demeaning slap in the face to the many law enforcement families who send their kids to Muhlenberg and pay Dean Gulati’s salary.”
He added:
“Publicly desecrating the image of law enforcement, shaming police officers, and linking those of us who support them to white supremacists and new-Nazis is where we should draw the line. No academic institution should get away with such dangerous rhetoric and open discrimination.”
HUBER HEIGHTS, OH – A mother is outraged after learning that her son’s middle-school teacher called him out in front of the class for having a Thin Blue Line flag as a background on Google Classroom.
Not only was the child ridiculed in front of others by the teacher, he was forced to remove it.
https://www.facebook.com/policewivesofamerica/posts/4571975096209451
The mother, named only as Danielle W., posted her story on a Facebook page called “Police Wives of America.” She reported that her son was attending an online class Sept. 24 for Huber Heights City Schools when the incident happened.
Her son’s English teacher noticed the flag, she said, and stopped classwork to humiliate him. Danielle said:
“His English teacher took it upon herself to ridicule him in front of his peers for 15 minutes after a student pointed out that he had a blue line flag. The teacher called him out in front of the whole class, told him she was instructed to tell him to remove it, and that he needed to excuse himself from class to do so, then come back after he fixed it!”
Rightfully appalled at the situation, Danielle was also upset that other children were allowed to display Black Lives Matter flags and the defiant fist raised in the air that now signifies BLM. There were allegedly no problems with those flags, only the thin blue line flag. Danielle said:
“After she pushed at him saying the flag was political, calling at a blue lives matter flag, telling him some people don’t believe in police, amongst other things my son maturely responding stating, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt feelings, this flag isn’t political it’s a blue line flag that represents fallen officers.’ ”
Danielle reported that the school principal and the superintendent have made it clear that the flag needed to be removed from her child’s Google Classroom account. Their reasoning was that they believe that it is political and that someone apparently had their feelings hurt over it. Danielle said:
“Not ONCE was it asked how my son felt, or if his feelings were hurt. He stated he would have to check the student handbook and online conduct to see if my son did any wrongdoing. Did something wrong, are you kidding me!?”
Danielle alleged that since the incident occurred, her son is now being called a racist and is being threatened. She said:
“He’s been threatened, embarrassed in front of his class, ridiculed for showing his support . . . his feelings matter!”
Danielle states that she and her family will stand up for her son, noting that her husband is a police officer. She said:
“This BLUE family is NOT backing down!”
Unfortunately, the battle did not end with Danielle’s complaints to the school superintendent. She later reported that she had been requested to meet with him for an informal meeting regarding the issue and agreed. Danielle said:
“The school’s attorney was there and said Johnny ‘violated online conduct’ as it caused TWO students to say something to the teacher. Saying it was considered a disruption to class . . . yet the teacher called upon my son, not once, but several times calling his name!
“My son’s feelings were NEVER considered yet it was brought to our attention yet again that my son using a Blue Line Flag as his profile picture was considered “Political” and it hurt feelings!
All the superintendent cared about was being recorded, yet he made the effort to record the conversation himself! And it was LIE after LIE completely contradicting themselves.
“With all due respect, the Blue Line Flag is not political, it represents fallen officers. That’s my son’s words and that’s my son’s feelings, that he respectfully told his teacher that day.
We have taught our children to respect others and their feelings and to always be respectful, but not let someone bully you or make feel bad over your own feelings and following your heart.”
Danielle may have lost this battle, but it is doubtful that she will take the loss sitting down.
Principal bans player from carrying Blue Line flag to honor his dead father, so the community does it instead
September 26, 2020
NEPTUNE BEACH, FL – Law Enforcement Today reported earlier on a high school refusing to allow a student to honor his deceased police officer father by carrying the Thin Blue Line flag onto the football field.
Our original reporting follows this update.
On Friday, people attending the football game responded.
HAPPENING NOW: People are flying Thin Blue Line flags at the Fletcher High School football game after the school banned the display at games. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/ulBNiyS1nW
— Christy Turner (@ChristyANJax) September 25, 2020
The Reader’s Digest version is that the principal of Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach, Florida, banned the display after it “allegedly” caused controversy this year. The player carried the flag as a tribute to his dad, Jacksonville Beach Police Department Cpl. Andy Lavender, who died in August 2019. Lavender’s son plays on the football team at the school.
The principal claimed that the flag was a “political statement” attributed to the team and the school. God forbid we offend the anti-police segment of the population by honoring a dead police officer.
On Friday, the high school had a football game and as Action News Jax reported, dozens of people showed up at the game waving the Thin Blue Line flags in support of the player and his dad.
One of those who showed up was Laurie Baughan, who is retired from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and who knew Lavender for decades.
“Whether he had a badge or not, he was the best guy,” she said, while noting that she was “heartbroken” when she heard what the school’s principal had done. She added:
“It’s almost like betrayal. To keep them from being able to honor a family member is, I think ludicrous.”
Steve Zona, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the display had no political meaning whatsoever and instead was meant to support Lavender and his son, as well as the team. Noting that Lavender was committed to helping the community and its children, Zona said:
“All this ever was, was to support Andy, support his son, and support the team. Everybody loved him. Not only was he a police officer, he dedicated his life here at the beach to mentoring young kids for Pop Warner football, and he was also a coach here at Fletcher.”
The players on the team have now had a decal affixed to their helmets displaying Lavender’s initials and his badge number.
With the Thin Blue Line flag banned from football games, the players designed a helmet decal to honor Corporal Lavender. It includes his initials and badge number. @ActionNewsJax @WOKVNews pic.twitter.com/poz1WiAd3N
— Christy Turner (@ChristyANJax) September 25, 2020
Dr. Diana Greene, the spineless Superintendent of Schools of Duval County, backed up the principal of the school. She claimed that by allowing the flying of the Thin Blue Line flag, it somehow represents the “educational values of the school.”
It is curious if Greene would back the flying of the Black Lives Matter flag during pregame ceremonies. Our guess is she would be behind that 100 percent.
Kudos to the fans in Jacksonville Beach who supported the son of a man who gave his life to serving his community. Sometimes people read too much into something.
The student was honoring his father. To stretch that out to feed the assumption that this somehow showed the team and the school to support the fantasy of “systemic racism” is a stretch of epic proportions.
For our original reporting on the situation, we invite you to:
DIG DEEPER
A son’s tribute to his deceased police officer father has spiraled into a lightning rod for controversy at a Florida high school.
The principal at Fletcher High School banned the football team from flying a Thin Blue Line flag on the field in honor of the student’s dad, who died off duty.
The decision by school administrators followed allegations from critics who claim that the flag is “racist.”
News 4 Jax quoted online complaints:
“One post read: “. . . Fletcher really out here being openly racist . . .”
Another said:
“Thin blue flag shown at Fletcher High School game, a lot of students aren’t happy.”
But the widow of Cpl. Andy Lavender told the news outlet that the action was neither politically motivated nor motivated by race. Lorie Lavender said it was merely a way for her son, Caelen, to honor his late father.
She told News 4 Jax:
“It is all about my son’s love for his dad and his memory. He was one of a kind, and he is very much missed and loved.”
Caelen, a junior offensive lineman, started running onto the field with the flag last year after his father, a Jacksonville Police officer, died unexpectedly in August 2019.
The high school allowed the flag to fly during 11 games last season, and again last week, before the ban. Fletcher High School Principal Dean Ledford issued a statement to the local TV station, which reads in part:
“In consultation with the coaches, I determined that the act of using this flag in this personal way, while in the context of the football game opening ceremony, could easily be construed as representing a political position of our school and not just the personal feelings of the student and his teammates.
“Therefore, I have determined that it is no longer appropriate to continue. I am in conversation with the student and his teammates about ways they can appropriately express their personal views.”
Dr. Diana Greene, Superintendent of Duval County Public Schools, issued a statement in support of the principal’s decision Sept. 23.
She said that Ledford took “proper action based on the educational values that should be considered in the situation involving the football team’s pregame ceremonies and the Thin Blue Line flag.”
Her statement goes on to say:
“As strongly as I support Principal Ledford, I also support each student’s right to express their personal views. However, if that personal expression can be easily construed as the position of other stakeholders or the school, it is not an acceptable manner of expression in a school environment.
“This is the case with the Thin Blue Line flag, which in its matter of use, has come to imply something other than one student’s expression, but rather a position of the team and thus the school.”
Since the doubled down decision by the principal and school district, there has been new backlash on social media. On Twitter, user Hunter Crain wrote:
“If we allow high school kids on the other side of town to kneel during the National Anthem, then this young man gets to run on the field with a Police flag.
His rights don’t stop because of your feelings. Fletcher should be ashamed of themselves for bowing down to BLM mob.”
That particular tweet is no longer available.
Another user, calling herself only “Debbie” posted:
“You certainly taught this young man who lost his father a great lesson about standing up for what is right. The high school threw this young man aside for a bunch of strangers.”
Fletcher High School, Neptune Beach, FL
You certainly taught this young man who lost his father a great lesson about standing up for what is right. The high school threw this young man aside for a bunch of strangers. This young many will remember this for the rest of his life.— Debbie (@DebsFriends) September 23, 2020
Jacksonville Fraternal Order of Police President Steve Zona commented to News 4 Jax:
“This is a prime example where it was as innocent as can be, there is no politics involved, no us versus them, simply to honor a great man and allow his kids in the football team to honor him, and they have taken those, hijacked it and called it racism, and now the son and these kids are suffering because of it.”
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