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A substitute teacher in California was recorded via cell phone by a student as the teacher chastised another student for wearing a face mask that is the “Thin Blue Line” variation of the American flag.

The confrontation took place on Monday at Lyman Gilmore Middle School in Grass Valley, California. In the video, an unnamed teacher is seen berating a 13-year-old boy and loudly proclaiming, “That’s not the American flag; that’s the new confederacy flag.”

Fox 40 in Sacramento reported that the student, Lucas Lillar, “said he wears [the mask] to support his father, who is a police officer.” Lillar’s stepmother is also in law enforcement.

The youth allegedly wore the mask a week earlier and with the same teacher who did not confront him. But this week, Lillar said, the teacher sat at an empty desk behind him and started an argument.

(Video: CBS 13/YouTube)

“I was confused at that time because I didn’t know what he was talking about,” Lillar said.

“I never had someone talk to me like that, yell at me in my face, especially a teacher,” he told KOVR.

Amanda McCallum, the boy’s mother, spoke out about the incident.

“I was angry because these types of things should never be in the classroom,” McCallum said, noting that she was “mind-blown” over the teacher’s behavior.

“These topics need to be left at the door. The school is meant to educate our children in a safe environment and I don’t feel like this was a safe environment, but it needs to be. We are entrusting these people of authority, these teachers with our children,” McCallum told KTXL. “We are in a time where we are so divided that we need to learn to be kind and respect each other.”

She spoke with Lyman Gilmore’s principal who assured her that the substitute teacher would no longer be teaching at the school.

McCallum hopes to meet next week with Grass Valley School District Superintendent Andrew Withers who told the outlet, “The California Education Code §44953 allows for the immediate dismissal of a substitute teacher. Our district expects all educators to perform their duties with utmost respect and professionalism.”

Scott W. Lay, Nevada County Superintendent of Schools, added “We expect all educators to perform their duties with utmost respect and professionalism to afford our youth an environment conducive to learning. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing that governs educator credentials will be informed of this incident.”

In August 2020, the Department of California Highway Patrol issued a briefing that stated that CHP officers were barred from displaying any “Thin Blue Line” items on their person or elsewhere, The Daily Wire reported.

The memo read:

All ‘Thin Blue Line’ paraphernalia, including anything resembling it, shall be removed immediately. This includes any paraphernalia hung anywhere in the office, stickers/patches on State or personal; property that may be seen by the public during the course of duties, and email signature blocks.

Fran Clader, CHP’s Director of Communications in Sacramento, stated: “The item … was included as part of a shift briefing for one area command within Border Division and has since been rescinded since it was a misinterpretation of department policy … [It] was intended as a generic reminder to personnel to refrain from promoting any social cause on state property or equipment visible to the public. The advisement does not pertain to personally owned items.”

More from Twitter on the original CBS 13 news story, posted by Libs of Tik Tok:

A substitute teacher was caught on video yelling at a 13 yr old student over his thin blue line mask saying “that’s the new confederacy flag” pic.twitter.com/M4Polx6AXI

— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 3, 2022

It’s the new what ? Wow

— Joe Figueroa 🇺🇸 (@BroncoJoe19) February 3, 2022

Okay.

Ban all masks, then.

— Scott Summers (@J_Jammer) February 3, 2022

pic.twitter.com/9tYGQs5x2p

— storyofmylife (@wokeupfinally84) February 3, 2022

I know I keep repeating this, on these types of videos.

But once again, this is why “teachers” don’t want parents involved.

— Nick Spoljaric (@SpodaddyJr) February 3, 2022

Kid should of told him “and your the new Joseph Gobbels!”

— Alan (Certified Fact Checker) (@AAllasson) February 3, 2022

This parent needs to take this all the way, no educator should be indoctrinating students into their warped, crazy, psycho world. This is exactly why parents need to watch and see everything your child is doing, they’re coming after them, at an early age. Pay attention.

— CS (@CSANT22) February 3, 2022

Their only tactic is to compare everything to nazis or the confederacy.

— Soy Boy Simpathizers (@SoyBoySimps) February 3, 2022

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Frank Webster

Staff Writer

Frank (Chip) Webster is a musician and composer, former teacher of percussion and U.S. Army Infantry veteran. He holds a degree in English from Arizona State University.

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