STANLY COUNTY, N.C. -- A North Carolina high school cheerleading team is on probation after taking a picture in front of a Trump 2020 re-election banner.
The North Stanly High School cheerleaders posed in front of a "Trump 2020: Make America Great Again" banner in August before a football game. The photo circulated on Facebook, catching the attention of administrators.
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According to WLOS, the cheerleaders will be on probation for the rest of the season because district policy bans political ads at school events.
Stanly County Schools released the following statement the day after the football game:
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"We are currently investigating this matter but as of this morning we have determined this was not an act planned or endorsed by the school or its staff. A student attending the event brought the flag into the game, which was not present when entering the gate. The picture was taken prior to the event starting. Stanly County Schools respects the rights of its students, staff and visitors to express their opinions in a respectful manner on their own time, however, Stanly County Board of Education policy prohibits the display or distribution of political advertisements on campus or at school events. Further, Stanly County Schools never makes political campaign endorsements. These policies ensure that all students, staff and visitors are able to attend school events in an environment that promotes students and not a particular political viewpoint. Stanly County Schools' investigation into this matter is ongoing and we will take appropriate action as necessary to ensure Board of Education policy is followed in the future."