A high school in Bossier City, Louisiana has come out against nationwide protests during the national anthem by threatening student-athletes that kneel with removal from the school's sports teams.

According to local news outlet WWLTV, Bossier Schools Superintendent Scott Smith supports the decision of Parkway High School to punish students who refuse to stand during the anthem.

"It is a choice for students to participate in extracurricular activities, not a right, and we at Bossier Schools feel strongly that our teams and organizations should stand in unity to honor our nation’s military and veterans,” Smith said in a statement Wednesday morning.

This rash decision comes after President Donald Trump called for the firing of NFL players who took a knee, raised fists, or participated in any type of protest during the national anthem at a mostly white crowd in Huntsville, Alabama last Friday. Days following the statement, NFL players came out in support of Colin Kaepernick and protested in spite of Trump.

In an official statement, Parkway High School made it clear that protests of any kind would be punished.

“Parkway High School requires student-athletes to stand in a respectful manner throughout the National Anthem during any sporting event in which their team is playing. Failure to comply will result in loss of playing time and/or participation as directed by the head coach and principal. Continued failure to comply will result in removal from the team. Parkway High School is committed to creating a positive environment for sporting events that is free of disruption to the athletic contest or game.”

Activist and writer Shaun King shared via Twitter a corresponding statement from Parkway High with The Louisiana High School Athletic Association standing on the national anthem protests that allow schools to decide how to punish their students.

And it has begun.

High schools are now following Trump’s order.

Will kick off any players who don’t stand during the National Anthem. pic.twitter.com/lfNWyW7z5f

— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) September 28, 2017

The Supreme Court ruled that students don't have to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance—that goes for the national anthem on the ballfield too. https://t.co/ijNa3tn1U0

— ACLU (@ACLU) September 28, 2017

While the controversy brews, the ACLU and others have pointed out that Parkway is a public school inclined to protect first amendment rights of students and violations can invite lawsuits.

Bossier Schools

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