ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — A pride flag removed from a classroom at Nease High School has some students like Abigail Speights feeling unsupported.
"When we take down a flag like that, it makes school not feel safe and it brings out a lot of nastiness in people that also makes us not feel safe," she told First Coast News.
St. Johns County School administrators took down the flag of the sponsor of the school's gay-straight alliance, telling us it went against the district's policy of teachers and staff showcasing political signs or materials.
Speights says the move has caused more distress and divisiveness among students after a rally in support of the flag last week.
"It feels very isolating when the people around you, your friends are saying homophobic things to your face. Like they think that will be okay during all of this," Speights said.
Her mom, Tiffany Daugherty, wasn't pleased with the school district's response and sent emails to the principal and superintendent concerned about the message it sends students.
"This isn't right or left," Daugherty said. "This is about support and the principal said they have to follow the school board's recommendation and so no one is taking a stance other than calling this political."
Daugherty says the mental health of students is part of a bigger picture she hopes the district addresses.
"I'm not sure people are realizing the cost to removing this flag and the cost of removing this flag is it's emboldened students to speak up, speak to and around my daughter about how much they don't approve of the gay community," Daugherty said.