A Clay County teen took to social media last week stating that her rights to free speech were violated when 80 Gadsden flags were confiscated from students.
The video posted on Facebook about a demonstration at Fleming Island High School on April 20 has drawn over 35,000 views and 1,000 shares at last count.
Eden, the high school student who posted the video, requested her last name be withheld due to recent threats she has received. The recording shows officials gathering the yellow flags with the inscription "Don't Tread On Me" from students. While using her phone to record, Eden demanded an explanation.
"My main avenue of being able to express myself in the situation was taken away," Eden said. "All of a sudden I noticed there were administrators going around picking up flags from students, I was shocked."
Eden told First Coast News she purchased 101 flags to distribute to students who were counter-protesting the National School Walkout after seeing other organizations planning to use the day to protest for gun control.
"This walkout of course has the media's attention...but I think they are being very selective with the group of students they want to praise for speaking up for themselves," Eden said. "There needs to be more focus on mental health and reinforcing law enforcement. If you disarm the public, our schools are going to be more vulnerable."
A representative for Clay County District Schools released a statement explaining before April 20 students were told they "would have the opportunity to peacefully gather in memory of the victims in Parkland, Florida, and other mass school shootings." The District, however, emphasized it would not allow students to participate in political movements.
Fleming Island High School staff collected flags from students on April 20 because they were not aligned to the expectations and protocols outlined for the planned event, the flags were a disruption to the learning environment, and students were using the flags in an inappropriate and unsafe manner, which could have caused injury to others.
Eden said she did not receive the robocall sent to parents in advance about National School Walkout Day, but does not consider the flags she gave to other students a political movement.
"This flag was one of the first American flags and I think it's a good symbol for unity," Eden said. "I think there needs to be more reaching across the aisle."
She and her family also disagreed the walkout supported by school officials was simply a memorial.
"If they want to protest, they can protest on their own time, but if they're gonna allow it at school they have to allow the opposition," Eden's father, Michael said. "The flag is about defending the Constitution of the United States. This should not be a political flag."
The April 20th walkout observed nationally by schools observed the anniversary of the Columbine mass school shooting. Websites dedicated to the National School Walkout describe the demonstration as a protest of congressional, state and local failures to take action to prevent gun violence.