School Discrimination Allegations: Principal Accused of Silencing Patriotism

Parents of a California middle school student claim that their son was barred from giving a patriotic speech before a school election rally due to the principal's alleged bias against his views.

Parents of a Saint Bonaventure Catholic School student in Huntington Beach, California, are calling for the school principal to be fired after claiming their son was unfairly barred from giving a patriotic speech before a school election rally.

Pictures posted to the parents' social media accounts show the student, Jimmy Heyward, wearing a red hat and campaign sign in the same style of Donald Trump's. However, instead of "Make America Great Again," it says, "Make SBS [Saint Bonaventure School] Great Again."

According to Jimmy's mother, Hattie Ruggles, her son was running for "Commissioner of School Spirit & Patriotism" but was barred from giving his speech at the rally by principal Mary Flock because it contained "content that did not align with school values."

In the speech, Jimmy reportedly spoke about the importance of showing respect to veterans, paying attention during the National Anthem, and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Ruggles claims that her son was told to remove "all parts about patriotism" from his campaign speech or he would not be allowed to deliver it before the school assembly.

Jimmy stood up to the principal and refused to alter his speech, resulting in him being skipped over during the rally.

"He was on the stage for an hour in front of his peers/teachers/parents being completely humiliated by Mary Flock," Ruggles wrote in a Change.org petition calling for Flock to be fired.

Ed Heyward, Jimmy's father, confronted the principal and vice principal at the assembly, accusing them of censoring his son's speech because of his conservative views.

The principal then called the Huntington Beach Police Department to remove Ed Heyward from the assembly, despite him having already moved away from students and faculty.

Officers arrived and determined that Ed Heyward was "free to stay and watch with the rest of the families in attendance."

In an email sent home to parents that day, Principal Flock claimed that Jimmy was not allowed to give his speech because he did not have the adjusted final version approved by her.

Flock also stated that law enforcement was called to "ensure the safety and well-being of those present."

The Heyward parents claim that Jimmy's final speech draft was submitted on time and viewed by the principal, a claim disputed by the school in a statement to Fox News Digital.

St. Bonaventure Catholic School maintains that all student speeches delivered on campus must undergo an administrative approval process to ensure the content is appropriate and aligns with school values.

"If a speech does not receive final approval, we adhere to our established guidelines, which means the student will not be permitted to deliver the speech," the school said in the statement.

The school insists that their decision was made "to preserve the integrity of St. Bonaventure School’s practices and its Christ-centered learning environment."

The incident has sparked outrage among some parents, who accuse the school of suppressing free speech and discriminating against conservative viewpoints.

A Change.org petition calling for Principal Flock to be fired has garnered over 10,000 signatures as of February 15, 2023.

The school has defended its decision, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a respectful and inclusive environment within the school community.

"We encourage freedom of speech, recognizing that allowing students to express their thoughts and ideas is crucial for their growth and development," the school said in its statement.