Athletes and Americans of all sorts have been exercising their First Amendment rights to take a knee ever since Colin Kaepernick began protesting against police brutality last year by kneel during the National Anthem.

Lately, some have been praised for joining the #TakeTheKnee movement, some have been punished and other have been attacked by the president of the United States.

Students in Wichita, Kansas can breathe a little easier, this week. The Associate Press reports that the city's school district has released a statement supporting a students' decision to either kneel or not kneel during the national anthem or Pledge of Allegiance.

In an email sent to principals in the school district, assistant superintendent Gil Alvarez said, “I realize we all have our own beliefs on this matter, but whether you agree or disagree, these are the guidelines set forth by the district and we will follow these guidelines.”

Students will have to submit either "oral or written request" declaring their intention to kneel before they do so. Before the new rules came into effect, a student wanting to protest during the anthem needed a note from their parents.

Susan Arensman, a spokesperson for the school district, claims that the district's rule on protests has been in effect since 1994, but that the district hasn't seen a notable increase in protests recently.

“This is not a new thing,” she said. “Because of what students may be seeing nationally if a student decides to silently protest, this was more of a, ‘Let’s make sure everything is consistent.’”

In a 1943 U.S. Supreme court case, West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, the court ruled that schools can’t force students to say the Pledge of Allegiance. The ruling was viewed as a win for Jehovah's Witnesses, whose religion restricts them from saluting or pledging to symbols.