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A high school student in Virginia has left school after officials told him to remove the American flags from his truck. When Christopher Hartless returned to Staunton River High School for the start of the new school year, he parked his truck in the student lot, thinking nothing of the two large American flags he had on display.
On the second day of classes, Hartless was told by school officials that he had to remove the flags from his truck because they were considered a distraction. Hartless refused to remove the flags and told the school that he was within his rights to fly them on his truck.
"If we want to represent our flag for our country, then we should be able to. It's not like it has any hate or profanity to it, and I just think it's bull crap, myself," Hartless told WFXR.
"I don't understand how it's a distraction if they have one displaying in the front of the school where everyone can see it," he added.
Hartless continued to show up to school with the flags on his truck until earlier this week when he had his parking pass suspended.
Because his parents don't want their son taking the bus to school, they have decided to homeschool him for the time being.
"For him to stand up at 17 years old, and say that he, it's his right at 17 years old, and knows how it makes us feel and knows how it makes us feel, it makes us proud," Hartless' stepmother Christina Kingery told the news station.
Over the weekend, the school district issued a statement defending their decision.
"Large flags or banners are not allowed to be flown or displayed on vehicles due to their distractive nature. Please be assured that we proudly fly the American flag throughout the school," the statement said.
Hartless and his parents plan to attend the next school board meeting in September to voice their concerns about the policy.