Was the Gadsden flag patch allowed to be kept by Colorado Springs middle-schooler? 12-year-old student speaks up after video went viral

On the morning of August 29, a video from the Vanguard School in Colorado Springs went viral, sparking a debate about the Gadsden flag, also known as the Hopkins flag. The school objected to a 12-year-old student named Jaiden Rodriguez displaying the flag patch on his bag.

The banner, which depicts a coiled rattlesnake and the slogan "Don't tread on me," was initially ordered to be removed from Rodriguez's bag. An administrator at the school claimed that the flag is associated with "racism" as well as "slavery and the slave trade."

However, after Rodriguez received widespread support, the school was ultimately forced to allow him to keep the Gadsden flag patch on his backpack. the 12-year-old even stated in a video, which has been circulating on X, how he got support from his schoolmates. As per him, the "kids were really hyped up. They are putting 'don't tread on me' on their locker. Now they like me all of sudden."

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Jaiden Rodriguez was finally allowed to keep the Gadsden flag patch

Jaiden was ultimately allowed to keep the flag patch (Image via X / @cboyack)

On Tuesday, a Colorado Springs school system came under fire for not allowing a kid to use flag patches on his backpack. According to his mother, Jaiden Rodriguez, a seventh-grade student at The Vanguard School, was pulled from his class as authorities claimed that multiple patches on his bag violated the school's dress code rules.

As per several news agencies like the New York Post, the school also said in a statement that:

“The Vanguard School recognizes the historical significance of the Gadsden flag and its place in history. This incident is an occasion for us to reaffirm our deep commitment to a classical education in support of these American principles”.

The Gadsden Flag, developed during the American Revolutionary War, shows a rattlesnake on a yellow background with the slogan "Don't tread on me." As stated above, Jaiden was told by the school authorities that he had to remove the patch before returning to his class.

The school administration conferred with district administrators, who instructed the school to notify the student's parents that the patch was not permitted in district schools. The same was done by Vanguard administrators, who notified the student's family that he could not display the Gadsden flag patch on his backpack.

Initially, school administrators alleged that the flag had "origins with slavery" and was causing a disruption in class. As a result, Jaiden was not permitted to bring the bag into class and have the other students gather around the flag patch.

On the other hand, Jaiden's mother objected to the decision. She even wondered if the said authorities had mistaken it for a Confederate flag. She said:

"Yeah, it has nothing to do with slavery, that's like the Revolutionary War patch that was displayed when they were fighting the British."

However, after Jaiden's mother spoke with the the staff members, Jaiden and his flag patches became popular on the social media. Following this, the school had to reverse its decision and allow him to display the patch.

Moreover, with the school board ruling in his favor, Jaiden claimed that has inspired other students at the school to wear the patch. He stated in a new video released on X (formerly known as Twitter) that:

“Today was a good day. The kids were really hyped up. They are putting 'don't tread on me' on their locker. Now they like me all of sudden. But the teachers, on the other hand, I got some dirty looks that's for sure. They are definitely not happy with me.”

Following the incident, the school garnered widespread media coverage. There was much criticism over the child's expulsion due to the flag. According to New York Post, the school's board of directors called an emergency meeting and subsequently backed down from its decision that asked Jaiden to remove the flag. He was ultimately permitted to return to class while wearing the patch on his backpack.