It is 2023 and I have to wonder, why do some teachers not do research when they are teaching history? I will tell you what my 10th grade Civil War history teacher said to my class back in 1995/96 school year. He didn't like the text books as they are limited and do not teach true history. He said "a history teacher has to live in the era. Study it. Research it. Textbooks do not teach real history". I would like to think Mr. Finney because of that class is why I got a degree in history.
This story made me upset that the teacher had ZERO idea what the "Don't Tread on Me" flag also known as the Gadsen flag was! Okay time for the story.
Eden Rodriguez, a mother in Colorado, recently experienced a tense encounter with school administrators over a patch on her son's backpack. The incident revolved around the "Don't Tread on Me" flag, also known as the Gadsden flag, that her son wore to school.
Jaiden Rodriguez, a 12-year-old student at the Vanguard School in Colorado Springs, was asked to remove it due to its "origins with slavery and the slave trade." His mother confronted school officials about their request and recorded the conversation.
She pushed back after her kid was kicked out of class for wearing a 'Don't Tread on Me' patch on his backpack.
"Do they know what the Gadsden flag is? It's a historical flag," Eden Rodriguez said.
The school administrator in the video explained their stance. "The reason that they do not want the flag is due to its origins with slavery and the slave trade. That's the reasoning behind why he can't wear this today," she said.
@redpillpusher1776 Wiw! Clueless teacher. Kicks kid out for the dont tread on me flag. #gadsdenflag #fyp #publicschool #publicschoolteacher #donttreadonme #donttreadonme🐍 #teachersoftiktok #revolutionarywar #georgewashington #conservatives ♬ original sound - RedPillPusher1776
Rodriguez challenged this explanation by asserting that its origins were actually not found in the slave trade. "That's like the Revolutionary War patch that was displayed when they were fighting against British," she said. "Maybe you're thinking of the Confederate patch."
The administrator maintained her position by stating she was merely enforcing existing district policy. Rodriguez expressed that she felt that this situation is "one-sided" and would only be acceptable if there was a ban on all patches, not just the one her son was wearing.
Moreover, Jaiden pointed out that he had observed other students displaying American flags on their bags without any repercussions. While standing up for her son, Eden shared his commitment to academics. "He takes his classes seriously," she said. "He made [the] honor roll... but it's hard because he keeps missing class for this."
The ongoing debate regarding symbols associated with history has been fraught with controversy due largely to differing interpretations of these symbols' significance and origins. The Gadsden Flag — featuring a coiled rattlesnake above text reading "Don't Tread On Me" — is no exception.
And this became an INTERNET Debate. I have been saying the old Yiddish phrase "Oy Vey" often today (Yddish phrase expressing dismay or exasperation. Also spelled oy vay, oy veh, or oi vey, and often abbreviated to oy, the expression may be translated as "oh, woe!" or "woe is me!" Its Hebrew equivalent is oy)
So TikTok weighed in on this: George Lee Jr., NAACP Image Award nominee popularly known as "The Conscious Lee" on TikTok, provided some historical context regarding this very symbol.
@ari_and_rainbows_ Replying to @Cam G #GadsdenFlag #BlueLineFlag #contradictory #flags #US #history #appropriation #libertarians #maga #FarRight #cult #L ♬ original sound - Ari_and_rainbows_
"The snake, it turns out, was something of a colonial-era meme, evidently originated by Benjamin Franklin," he said. - I have to say - Dear History Teacher- lady.. it isn't hard to REALIZE you made a mistake!!! Do you think EVERY flag has to do with Slavery? If the people who are suppose to be TEACHING your kids about history get the meaning of the gadsden flag completely wrong, it may be time to reevaluate who you choose to leave your kids with 6-8 hours/day.
Governor Jared Polis also weighed in on this controversy via X (formerly Twitter).
"Obviously, the Gadsden flag is a proud symbol of the American revolution," he wrote. "It's a great teaching moment for a history lesson!"
Obviously the Gadsden flag is a proud symbol of the American revolution and a iconic warning to Britain or any government not to violate the liberties of Americans. It appears on popular American medallions and challenge coins through today and Ben Franklin also adopted it to…
— Jared Polis (@jaredpolis) August 29, 2023
How is the Gadsden flag viewed today?
According to Britannica, the "flag was used by Commodore Esek Hopkins, the United States' first naval commander in chief, as his personal ensign during the American Revolution." Contemporary associations increasingly link it to right-wing politics, such as the Tea Party Movement and other far-right groups. For instance, it was seen flown by protestors during the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.
This association likely explains school administrators' outlook on the flag as being a problematic symbol.- the school admin needs to go back to the 90s, when education was taught and woke education was not a thing. PLEASE GET RID OF WOKE EDUCATION AND HIRE TEACHERS WHO KNOW THEIR SUBJECTS!
