ROCORI Students Protest Parking Lot Flag Ban [VIDEO]

COLD SPRING -- Nearly a dozen pickup trucks are boldly displaying American flags at ROCORI High School Wednesday after students were told of a change in the student handbook banning all flags and banners on vehicles in the school parking lot.

Superintendent Scott Staska says the change came after last spring when a number of Confederate flags began showing up on vehicles in the parking lot. He says school administrators are responsible for creating a safe and respectful environment for all students while balancing the rights outlined in the First Amendment...

In a situation when there's a difference of opinion, if you're removing the one you're limiting speech on one side and you're allowing speech on the other side.  So, it's a fairly delicate balance on the issue of free speech.  You know, part of it is also protecting everybody's rights.

Staska says he was proud of the students who protested respectfully by only allowing American flags to be displayed...

What we see out there today is an incredibly powerful message about the American flag and very, very impressive.  We have a row of 18 trucks out there with an American flag off the back end.  That display is very, very impressive.  If we had that display every day without other controversial flags without other controversial issues, we'd be incredibly supportive of it.

The superintendent says they are engaging student leaders to work toward a resolution on the matter where only respectful flags or banners could be displayed.

Staska adds there are no plans to discipline the students or confiscate their flags.