A California high school sparked controversy after students at Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom were asked not to chant \u201cUSA\u201d during sporting events and rallies. The chant, often used by students to express pride, was flagged by school officials as potentially intolerant. Senior Ryan Bernal questioned the decision, saying, \u201cTo say USA, you know, we\u2019re all the same. We\u2019re all American. It doesn\u2019t matter what your skin tone is or where you\u2019re from.\u201d The issue was discussed in a leadership class, with district spokesperson Daniel Thigpen stating, \u201cTo practice empathy, to practice kindness and to practice patriotism. You can do both.\u201d Across the country, the chant has occasionally been used in a derogatory context, prompting warnings about its use. Mike Garrison of the California Interscholastic Federation noted that there is \u201ca time and a place\u201d for such expressions.<\/p>\n
The principal sent an email to families and made announcements over the school\u2019s P.A. system, clarifying that the chant is not banned but should be used appropriately, such as after the national anthem. The principal explained that the chant can sometimes send an unintended message. Parent Natalie Woodbury emphasized that the chant should unite, not divide: \u201cI want us to pull together and help, not because I want anybody to feel left out.\u201d Despite clarification, many community members expressed frustration on social media. One commenter accused school leadership of undermining patriotism, while another encouraged students to continue chanting and exercising their First Amendment rights.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A California high school sparked controversy after students at Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom were asked not to chant \u201cUSA\u201d during sporting events and rallies…. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6724,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n