“After careful consideration and thorough review of recent events, and with the support of the Diocese, the decision has been made to terminate your family’s enrollment from St. Bonaventure School for next school year.”
A California seventh grade student who went viral last month after his principal censored his patriotic speech has now been banned from attending the school next year.
Jimmy Heyward was told by Saint Bonaventure Catholic School Principal Mary Flock to edit his campaign speech for the role of Commissioner of School Spirit and Patriotism, reportedly telling him to remove “ALL parts about patriotism.”
To add insult to injury, his mother reportedly claimed the principal sent “an email to all parents at SBS informing them of the incident but completely lying about what truly happened earlier in the day.”
Now, SBS has informed Heyward’s family that he won’t be allowed to attend the school next year.
UPDATE: Jimmy, the middle schooler who wasn’t allowed to give his speech at school because it was too patriotic, was just notified that he and his sisters will not be allowed back to this school next year. https://t.co/MVKmbnXyc6 pic.twitter.com/V9KkaCri2T
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) June 11, 2024
The letter shared online by Libs of TikTok reads:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Heyward,
This letter is to inform you of a decision regarding your family’s association with St. Bonaventure School. After careful consideration and thorough review of recent events, and with the support of the Diocese, the decision has been made to terminate your family’s enrollment from St. Bonaventure School for next school year.
The decision comes as a result of serious violations of the Christian Code of Conduct and the Parent Electronic Communications Policy, as outlined in our Parent Student Handbook and included below. These policies are in place to ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all members of our school community, and adherence to them is crucial for the welfare and integrity of our educational environment.
Jimmy’s speech primarily dealt with steps he’d take to cultivate school spirit among students; but, he made the mistake of professing his love for America and wanting his peers to understand and embrace the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Following the viral response to Jimmy’s video, Saint Bonaventure Catholic School Principal Mary Flock reportedly deleted her X account.
This is Jimmy. A middle schooler in California. He ran for “Commissioner of School Spirit & Patriotism” at school.
His principal allegedly made him change his speech and remove all mention of patriotism. When he refused, she reportedly didn’t allow him to give the speech and he… pic.twitter.com/25IaDjP5Zw
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 21, 2024
Here’s the part of Jimmy’s speech his principal likely found problematic:
“My love for America is my motivation for running for Commissioner of Patriotism in School Spirit.
“It is an honor to live in this country. Sadly, some people take their citizenship for granted, whether it is disrespecting the people who protect us, or eating nachos during the National Anthem at a sporting event.
“Many people recite the Pledge of Allegiance without understanding its meaning. If someone doesn’t truly know what they are pledging to the United States of America, they might as well be reciting the lyrics to ‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift.
“I want to fix this so everyone understands the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance. As the commissioner of patriotism, I would have the crucial task of creating ways to bring more patriotism to SBS. I love my country and I love Saint Bonaventure, but I want to strengthen our patriotism in school spirit.
“So, accordingly, I Jimmy Hayward am running for Commissioner Patriotism in School Spirit. I want to clarify that my ideas are not promises, but I can promise to make pep rallies great again. I will make the school spirit great again. I will make patriotism within SBS great again, and mostly I will make SBS great again. Thank you and God bless Saint Bonaventure Catholic School.”
