The Saugus (Calif.) high school football team in Santa Clarita will no longer fly the controversial “thin blue line” flag before their games.
Superintendent Mike Kuhlman sent a letter to the school community explaining the process that led to the decision.
Per Christian Martinez at the LA Times, the principal held a meeting with head coach Jason Bornn, who decided to change course after considering not every player might feel comfortable being represented by the flag.
“While many embrace the symbol as simply a celebration of law enforcement, others have shared their feeling that the symbol has sometimes been co-opted by intolerant individuals with an agenda to divide and exclude… Given that some individuals have expressed concern that they interpret the Thin Blue Line flag to be divisive, it occurred to him that it’s possible that some players on the team might not be entirely enthusiastic about a symbol that is being used to represent the entire team.”
Some parents will be protesting the decision by bringing their own flags for the next home game on October 7.
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