A bill sponsored by Rep. Brian Smith (R-Derby) would prohibit flags other than the U.S. flag and State of Vermont flag from being flown on public school property in Vermont.
All the co-sponsors of H92 are Republicans: Reps. Lynn Batchelor (Derby Line), Patrick Brennan of Colchester, Rodney Graham of Williamstown, Robert Helm of Fair Haven, Mark Higley of Lowell, Marcia Martel of Waterford, and Arthur Peterson of Clarendon.
“In order to allow school boards to focus on educating students and maintaining school buildings without becoming politicized over flag displays, this bill proposes to prohibit flags other than the U.S. flag and State of Vermont flag from being flown on public school property in Vermont,” the bill says.
Since the killing of George Floyd last spring and the rise of Black Lives Matters, many school districts and municipalities have been asked to fly the BLM flag. In many cases, there has lively and at times acrimonious public debate. The bill does not specifically reference BLM or any other organization.
Categories: Legislation
Thank you Brian. Glad to know common sense is not dead!
Great idea, too bad it wasn’t proposed before now, it may have eliminated a lot of discontent. Could the same rule be applied to all municipal flags as well?
More “common sense” from a Republican ? Sure would end all the controversy, wouldn’t it .
I was a member of the Montpelier school board when we discussed and investigated and voted to raise the Black Lives Matter on school property. There is also a MIA/POW flag to honor members of the military who haven’t returned from war. What is wrong with either of these?
Me thinks you need to do further research on one of those flags!
Good proposal, do it.
Great idea. Thanks Art Peterson, etal.
One of the best ideas from our legislature in a long time….
Let´s get back to educating kids, which is what I pay taxes for, right.
I totally agree; Thank you Brian Smith..we stand with you on this one..
It’s about time legislation was introduce that represents real concerns of Vermonters, not a solicitation of activism that threatens the sovereignty and institutions of our state!
US flag should be only flag to fly…someone wants to fly another country’s flag let them go back and fly it in their own country !!!
Thank You Brian Smith for this sensible and patriotic Flag requirement of Us and VT Flags only for Schools.
Brian, You honor our late friend Chuck Thomas, – a Patriot for Patriots
Finally something good out of our legislators!Thank you Brian Smith!!
How refreshing to read a simple common sense idea!
Thanks to all of the legislators who sponsored this bill. You are a breathe of fresh air to me and my failing lungs…
I think you’re all missing the point.
A school should be able to fly whatever flag it chooses….
…and parents should be able to choose the school they believe best meets the needs of their children.
Noooo…..Public schools are funded by the: P-u-b-l-i-c. If YOU agree with the political agenda of this Marxist organization which promotes violence to achieve their end, YOU fly the flag foolishly at YOUR house. School is for learning & NOT indoctrination.
school should be a place for learning, not a place for politics or agendas of any organization! when parents send their children to school they don’t want or expect them to be indoctrinated with someone else’s beliefs, or pressured to conform to someone else’s values . peer pressure in school is hard enough without more .
Those who are adamant there is nothing wrong with a BLM flag are the same who banned the Confederate flag.
Thank you Rep. Smith for being so brazen as to introduce this bill. I agree totally. People who support BLM don’t realize they are supporting a communist/anarchist group whose goal is to demolish the United States. Plus our children are being taught to love these people in the name of peace and justice. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Laughing so hard. This is why the VT GOP is on life support. We have a. Vermont heritage of local control in schools. You people howl and howl with state-wide regulations. BUT a couple schools dare to suggest that black lives matter in the United States, and you are off like a 1650 witch hunt. Sorry, but you cannot have it both ways. Local control or state control? Personally, I am fine with the state taking over all education in VT with statewide contracts and standards. Be like France, teachers work for VT and the pleasure of VT and all schools are optimum. But, in my experience, out local control people are still alive and well in VT especially when it comes to how they educate their local kids and what flags they fly in the yard.
Your posts are CONSISTENTLY judgement and ignorant, sorry….again, BLM is NOT a “sentiment” it is a radical political organization founded by MARXISTS who seek to abolish the nuclear family & promotes violence to achieve their “goals”. My Lord (yes! God exists!!!) CHANGE your CHANNEL! You are so uniformed & easily led: a picture-perfect democrat.
Vermont has, and should continue to provide a politically neutral learning environment for future members of society. For a government run institution to endorse any politically charged movement is a negative form of leaven introduced into what should be a pure learning environment.
Vermont’s top heave legislature with a left leaning executive branch has become drunk with power.
Thank you Rep. Smith and co-sponsors!
It’s about damn time. Can you imagine all of the resistance our progressive legislature will give him on this!!