A school bus assistant yelled at a student to remove a red Make America Great Again hat, then grabbed it off the teen’s head, video shows.
Gunnar Johansson, 14, wore the hat as part of a March of Dimes fundraiser that allowed students to wear a hat of their choice for making a donation, WPTV reported.
The school bus aide, who has not been identified, tells Johansson to put the hat in his backpack and repeatedly tells him to remove it.
“Boy, if you don’t take that hat off this bus… take it off. Take that hat off… take that hat off…” she is heard saying in the video.
"She, like, threatened me with a referral and threatened to turn the bus around. I said 'write me up, I didn't do anything wrong,' and then she yanked my hat off. It was crazy," Johansson told WPTV.
He rode the rest of the way to school without wearing the hat.
His mother heard about the incident and immediately drove to the school and spoke with administrators, WPTV reported.
The district is aware of the family's allegations," Frank Frangella, Director of Safety and Security for the Martin County School District, told WPTV. "We're taking it very seriously. We're in the process of gathering all the facts right now."
The school district does not have a policy regarding wearing political attire.
Johansson said other students wore similar red hats at school. He also wore his without further incident, WPTV reported.
The Martin County Sheriff's Office is also investigating, WPTV reported. A determination if charges will be filed is expected next week.
About the Author
