A seventh-grade student from California has gone viral after he refused to edit a patriotic speech.
Student Jimmy Heyward was told by Saint Bonaventure Catholic School Principal Mary Flock to edit his campaign speech for Commissioner of School Spirit and Patriotism.
The student’s mom then launched a petition to remove Flock as the school’s principal.
“My son Jimmy Heyward decided to run for Commissioner of School Spirit and Patriotism at his school this year. The Principal, Mary Flock, told him he needed to make changes to his speech,” the mom wrote. “She wanted everything in his speech regarding patriotism to be removed, even though ‘Patriotism’ was a part of the position’s title that he was running for. Ms Flock said that if he did not remove ALL parts about patriotism, he would not be able to read his speech to the rest of the candidates.”
She described her son refusing to edit the speech.
After Flock told Jimmy he would not be giving his speech, the student “sat on the stage” quietly.
“Mary Flock directed the kids hosting the rally to skip Jimmy entirely,” the mom wrote. “He was on the stage for an hour in front of his peers/teachers/parents being completely humiliated by Mary Flock.”
As Jimmy’s father became involved, telling the school’s vice principal, Caleb McFarren, how “out of line they were for not allowing Jimmy to speak to his classmates just because his views didn’t align” with Flock’s, the father was told to leave.
Police were called, but informed Jimmy’s dad that “he was free to stay and watch with the rest of the families in attendance.”
Jimmy’s mom added Flock sent an email to parents, lying about the situation.
“This kind of behavior is unacceptable and does not align with the values we expect from our school’s leadership. We demand that Mary Flock be removed as principal immediately,” the petition reads.
Videos of Jimmy sharing his speech have emerged.
Jimmy said, in part, “My love for America is my motivation for running for Commissioner of Patriotism in School Spirit.”
“It is an honor to live in this country. Sadly, some people take their citizenship for granted, whether it is disrespecting the people who protect us, or eating nachos during the National Anthem at a sporting event.”
The young student declared that he promises “to make pep rallies great again.”
“I will make the school spirit great again. I will make patriotism within SBS great again, and mostly I will make SBS great again. Thank you and God bless Saint Bonaventure Catholic School.”