High School Senior Banned For National Anthem Protest

Bishop Gorman High School football player Dylan Bruton has been put on a disciplinary contract after he refused to stand during the national anthem at a Veterans Day assembly.

In addition to writing a letter of apology to veterans in attendance, Bruton was ordered to attend five counseling sessions with student services, submit an essay about a topic to be determined by the school administration, and was banned from participating in Bishop Gorman football as well as the school’s TV broadcasts.

Bruton, a high school senior, explained to KTNV 13 Action News that his actions were inspired by a similar demonstration by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

According to Bruton, he feels unsafe after the results of the 2016 presidential election. That feeling was reportedly intensified by politically-skewed, pro-Trump cries at the Bishop Gorman assembly.

”People had political things at the school,” said Bruton. ”They were saying things like, ‘we got our country back!”’

Bruton expressed that sentiments like these made him and his minority friends feel unwelcome. He explained that sharing his story was his way of making his school a better place.

Bishop Gorman administration took the demonstration as an offense to United States veterans.

Bruton took advantage of media attention to explain that he in no way meant to offend United States veterans, citing the recent death of his grandfather, who served in the armed forces.

”I have the utmost respect for veterans,” said Bruton. ”They’re making a huge, huge sacrifice that not many people are willing to make.”

Bishop Gorman school officials declined to comment on air about the incident.

”As a matter of policy, we cannot comment on any individual student’s record out of respect for the privacy of our students and their families,” read a statement sent to KTNV by the administration.

Since the incident, Bruton has been taken off of the school’s official football roster, publicly available on the Bishop Gorman football website.

Sources: KTNV 13 Action News, Bishop Gorman Football/Photo Credit: James McCauley/Flickr