Student Told He Can't Display American Flag

Students in York County South Carolina set up to protest

after a senior was asked to remove an American flag from his pick-up truck.

In Peyton Robinson's eyes, the American flag should be displayed. But at his school, York Comprehensive High School, the senior ran into a problem.

"Just proud to be an American," the 18-year-old said. Robinson said a school administrator told him remove the American flag and the POW-MIA flag, which he has in the back of his truck.

"He said we're having some issues. Some people were complaining about the flags in your truck, possibly offend them. He asked me to take it down," Robinson said.

The high school senior, who has several family members who served in the armed forces, is upset because he doesn't see the problem.

"I'd understand if it was the Confederate flag or something that might offend somebody," Robinson said. "I wouldn't do that. But an American flag - that's our country's flag. I have every right to do it."

School District officials told the media that students were told they couldn't have any physical flags on their cars because of safety. Administrators said it was a pre-existing policy that was announced again today.

Robinson said "I don't see a safety issue. I mean I understand it's a big flag - it's 4 by 6 - but nobody has ever complained about it being in their way or anything."

According to Robinson, a school administrator told him to remove the flags when he got home, and not come back to school with them. But the 18 year old said before the school day was over on Wednesday, a school official went to Robinson's parked truck, removed the bolts that secured the flags to the truck, took the flags down, and "laid my flags down in the middle of my truck when I wasn't even there."

Robinson was angry.

"I was pretty mad," he said. "I don't see how it's a problem. Nobody has ever complained about it before."

The senior took to social media and posted about the incident on his facebook page. Fellow students are vowing to stand with Robinson, and fly flags on their cars when they arrive at school Thursday morning.

Despite being told he's not to come to school again with flags flying on his pick-up, Robinson says he plans to do what he's done for the past month - display his flags.

"I will ask to see where it's written you can't fly the American flag," he said. "I want them to know we have every right to fly the American flag on on our truck."

Wednesday morning Robinson was told the flags offended some people. Wednesday afternoon, school officials said it was a safety issue. Robinson is wondering what exactly is the reason he can't display his flags.