Southridge student says they were kicked off zoom class for displaying Trump flag

KENNEWICK, Wash. -- A student at Southridge High School in Kennewick claims a teacher kicked them off a zoom class because of a Trump flag that was displayed on their wall.

The flag reads "Trump 2020 No More Bullshit". The parents of the child spoke to Action News and wished to remain anonymous on the matter. The parents of the student involved understand that there is profanity on the flag; however, they believe their child should be allowed to hang the flag in their own bedroom.

According to the parents of the student, their child was attending an English Sports and Literature class when the incident occurred. The parents tell Action News the teacher allegedly warned the student through the chat function of the zoom meeting but the child did not see the message from the instructor. The child's parents tell us that their child was then removed from class without further warning.

The teacher allegedly asked the student if they saw their messages prior to their removal from the class and the student says they did not. Parents of the student also tell Action News that their child has been told to remove a Trump hat they were wearing during a different zoom class.

Parents worry about the future of the class for their child. "It's an unfortunate situation. If they were in school this would not have happened."

Action News has reached out to the Kennewick School District regarding the incident. A spokesperson for the district responded to our inquiry with the following statement, "We are aware of the alleged situation. The school administrators are in the process of doing their due diligence by conducting an investigation with staff and students to get all the facts."