A metro Atlanta school district is standing by a high school softball team’s right to protest after players took a knee during the national anthem at their playoff game.
The girls and their coaches at Cedar Grove High School in DeKalb County staged the protest Wednesday night in Calhoun, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Athletic fields nationwide have become forums for political debate after President Donald Trump last month blasted protesting NFL players and said owners should fire them.
RELATED: NFL player says he will 'be done with football' if required to stand for national anthem
RELATED: KSU cheerleaders kept off field after some knelt during national anthem
RELATED: Falcons explain why they knelt during national anthem
RELATED: Trump's comments about anthem, Curry inflame sports stars
RELATED: Donald Trump says NFL anthem protesters should be 'off the field' and fired
The DeKalb County School District said in a statement its student athletes will not be disciplined for kneeling.
“If students should elect to express their free speech rights, we want to create and provide a safe space to do so,” the district said. “The goal is not to interfere with the students’ constitutional right to freedom of speech.”
The national debate about kneeling during the anthem started when free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so last year to protest police brutality and social injustice.
But the controversy exploded after Trump called for NFL owners to “get that son of a (expletive) off the field right now” when “somebody disrespects our flag.”
Kristie Long, a parent with the Calhoun team who recorded the local girls kneeling, told Channel 2 she was in awe.
“It’s extremely disrespectful to our country and our veterans and so forth,” Long said.
Student Camryn Alexander disagrees and said she supports those who kneeled, according to Channel 2.
“Basically right now, the flag doesn’t mean what it’s supposed to, to me,” Alexander said. “I’m proud of them.”
