Mohave Today

Arizona State Sen. Anthony Kern used the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, on Aug. 29 to voice his opinion on a recent incident at a Colorado public school, in which a middle school student was reportedly removed from class due to having a "Don't Tread on Me" patch on his backpack. In his tweet, Kern insinuated that the incident occurred due to alleged Chinese Communist influences within the school and said the state of Colorado adheres to a Marxist ideology.

"Wondering why they have an American flag in the classroom...?? " Kern wrote. "Shouldn't it be a CCP flag? After all, it is Colorado run by marxists democrats..."

Video footage of the occurrence, which unfolded at a Colorado-based public charter school named Vanguard School, was shared below Kern's tweet on X. The video captures a conversation between an administrator at the school and the parent or guardian of the boy involved. During the conversation, the administrator says that the boy must remove the patch before returning to class due to its association with "slavery and slave trade," according to the video.

The patch on the boy's backpack was that of the Gadsden flag, which traces its roots back to the Revolutionary War, according to Britannica.com. This flag, characterized by a yellow background with a coiled snake and the words "Don't Tread On Me" underneath, was first used by Commodore Esek Hopkins, the United States’ first naval commander in chief, as his personal ensign during the American Revolution (1775–83), Britannica.com says. It initially served as a signal to the British monarchy and symbolized unity among the 13 colonies. In 2009, it was used by the Tea Party Movement, according to Britannica, which said that "some observers" then viewed it as tainted with racism.

"Obviously, the Gadsden flag is a proud symbol of the American Revolution and an iconic warning to Britain or any government not to violate the liberties of Americans," said Jared Polis, the Democratic governor of Colorado, in a tweet on X on the same day as Kern's tweet. "It appears on popular American medallions and challenge coins through today and Ben Franklin also adopted it to symbolize the union of the 13 colonies. It’s a great teaching moment for a history lesson!"

The school reversed its initial decision to remove the boy from class due to the patch and allowed him to continue wearing it on his backpack, Newsweek reported. In an email, the school board said, "The Vanguard School recognizes the historical significance of the Gadsden flag and its place in history. This incident is an occasion for us to reaffirm our deep commitment to a classical education in support of these American principles," according to Newsweek.