A New Jersey high schooler said he was kicked out of his virtual class because a flag supporting President Trump was hanging in the background.
“My son takes his academics very seriously, and for this teacher to kick him out of learning that day for something that was in my home,” Tara Jost, the mother of student Anthony Ribeiro, 17, said.
Ribeiro, of Toms River, recounted the incident, saying his high school chemistry teacher asked him to remove the flag before class started.
“He said, ‘Anthony take the sign down right now.’ And I looked up, seeing class hasn’t started yet. I was on my phone. I looked up at him and kind of just looked back down like I didn’t hear him,” Riberio said.
He added that the teacher said he would need to leave class if he didn’t remove the flag.
“I waved goodbye, and I was gone,” Riberio said.
His mother said she called the principal of the school, who agreed with her that the teacher was wrong.
“The student was not in violation of any general code of conduct or any policy specifically related to virtual learning,” a statement from the school said. “We have worked with and are continuing to work with all involved parties to resolve the issue and move forward.”
“It bothers me because it’s in my home. He is an honor roll student, and if it is in my home. For this teacher to tell him to take it down and then kick him out of class is absurd. I think they have to make an apology to my son,” Jost added.
