Former Police Officer Has Perfect Solution for School Failing to Display American Flag
Between recent protests of the national anthem and the latest push to tear down constitutional rights based on teenage activists and “hashtags,” one thing is clear: America’s youth are not being properly taught about civics.
An understanding and respect for our nation’s core values seem to have been replaced by attention-seeking photo ops and actions that divide rather than unify.
Teaching the fundamentals of American beliefs starts at home, but it continues in the classroom — and that’s why one former police officer was disappointed when he found out that there was not a single American flag where his son attends school.
Brandon Tatum was previously an officer with the Tucson Police Department. During an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” the father and conservative explained that his son’s school seemed to be cutting corners when it came to respecting American traditions.
“You entered your son’s classroom. They’re saying the Pledge (of Allegiance) but there is no flag,” summarized the host of the Fox program.
“Initially I was very shock and frustrated, I didn’t want to make a fuss about it,” Tatum explained.
After thinking about the situation, he realized that saying the Pledge of Allegiance is somewhat empty without the stars and stripes to go with it — so he decided to take action.
.@TheOfficerTatum: “The flag means everything. The reason I’m able to come on TV, the reason I’m able to exist, the reason that my son is at a school that’s as diverse as it is is because of our flag.” pic.twitter.com/k9U6NvHFrN
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 24, 2018
“But since then I called the school, I had a really good conversation with his teacher,” Tatum continued. “She stated to me that there were reasons behind not having the flag, not that she was anti-flag.”
Nevertheless, there was no American flag in the classroom and the teacher didn’t seem willing to get one. The former cop put his money where his mouth is, and came up with a solution.
“I told her, ‘Look, I’ll buy the flag and I’ll send it to you so you can have a flag in your class.’ And she accepted the offer. So I’m going to buy a flag for the classroom, and I’ll send it to her and I’ll make sure that it’s presented in the classroom,” he said.
Old Glory missing from a classroom while students say the Pledge of Allegiance may not be the biggest scandal in the world, but Brandon Tatum explained why he thinks it’s important — especially at a time when black athletes and many leftists are trying to make the flag a symbol of division instead of unity.
“The flag means everything. The reason that I’m able to come on TV, the reason I’m able to exist, the reason that my son is at a school that’s as diverse as it is, is because of our flag… because of the men and women who sacrificed,” he pointed out.
“And I really do think it’s up to the parents to hold these schools accountable, and to make sure that they’re in line… and not just complain about it. If you have a complaint, address it with the school,” he said. “And then make sure that you take care of your responsibility in making sure that those things happen.”
That grassroots involvement in our local schools — and in the lives of our children — is exactly what is often missing from communities throughout the country.
What Tatum seems to understand better than most on the left is that the flag is more than just a piece of cloth. It’s an important symbol of what America stands for: Liberty, the opportunity to move up, and a nation whose power is vested in the common man, not elitist kings or bureaucrats.
Those principles are what Americans of all colors and races have marched, fought, and died for. Understanding those sacrifices and the importance of our nation’s principles is incredibly important — and the classroom is one of the places where it needs to be taught.
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