A California middle school principal is facing calls for her resignation after allegedly barring a student from giving a speech about patriotism during a school election rally. The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about free speech and religious freedom.
In Huntington Beach, California, the parents of a Saint Bonaventure Catholic School student are calling for the principal's removal after they claim their son was discriminated against over his beliefs. The student, Jimmy Heyward, was running for "Commissioner of School Spirit & Patriotism" but was barred from giving his speech at the school election rally.
Heyward's mother, Hattie Ruggles, alleges that Principal Mary Flock instructed him to remove all references to patriotism from his campaign speech, threatening to prevent him from delivering it otherwise. In his speech, the student emphasized the importance of respecting veterans, paying attention during the National Anthem, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Jimmy stood up to her and said he wasn't going to take the parts about patriotism out of his speech," Ruggles wrote in a Change.org petition calling for Flock's dismissal. "She then told him he would not be speaking."
Heyward sat on stage during the rally while other candidates delivered their speeches, but he was skipped over entirely, according to Ruggles.
"He was on the stage for an hour in front of his peers/teachers/parents being completely humiliated by Mary Flock," she stated.
After Heyward's father, Ed Heyward, confronted the principal and vice principal about the incident, the situation escalated. According to Ruggles, the principal called the Huntington Beach Police Department to remove Ed Heyward from the assembly.
The student's mother claims that the principal later lied about the incident in an email sent to parents. A screenshot of the alleged email shows Principal Flock claiming that Heyward's speech was not approved because he had not submitted the final adjusted version. She also stated that law enforcement was called on the father to "ensure the safety and well-being of those present."
However, the Heyward parents maintain that their son's final speech draft was submitted on time and reviewed by the principal. St. Bonaventure Catholic School disputes this claim, stating that they have a longstanding policy requiring all student speeches delivered on campus to undergo an administrative approval process.
"This practice ensures that the content is appropriate, aligns with school values and our Christian Code of Conduct, and maintains a respectful tone. The process is applied uniformly to all students without exception," the school said in a statement.
The school further stated that in cases where a speech does not receive final approval, the student is not permitted to deliver it. In this case, administrators found some of Heyward's comments to be negative and sought adjustments to make it more positive.
The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about free speech and religious freedom. Some observers argue that the school's policy of censoring student speeches is a violation of the First Amendment. Others contend that the school has the right to regulate speech on school grounds.
The Huntington Beach Police Department has declined to comment on the incident. The Heyward family has not yet filed a formal complaint against the principal or the school.
