Principal Cites Safety Concerns Following Post-Election Demonstration
Beverly Hills High School has put limits on student gatherings after a pro-Trump student celebration after the election. Principal Drew Stewart issued a statement after school officials had to step in to calm the rowdy gathering, where a crowd of mostly male students gathered to jump up and down and chant slogans with some wearing red MAGA hats and wearing Trump flags around their shoulders. A student posted a video of the scene on TikTok.
Beverly Hills is one of the rare cities in Los Angeles where the voters in four out of six precincts gave Donald Trump more votes than Kamala Harris, according to Los Angeles County Registrar/Recorder’s data via the Los Angeles Times. Beverly Hills residents Gina Bisignano and Dr.Simone Gold plead guilty to taking part in the January 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C. The city is also the site of a semi-regular pro-Trump rally.
The email sent to parents said, “We have had ongoing exercises of student political speech over the past 2 days,” Stewart wrote in the email, according to the Times. “Starting tomorrow, students will continue to be able to exercise this right individually but will be restricted in their right to assemble. These assemblies have ended up creating a disruption to normal school activities and has also left many students feeling unsafe and unwelcome.”
During the video, a security guard holds up one of the flags and the crowd erupted into cheers.
The limits on expression are related to gatherings of large groups. Individuals are allowed to express their views, but group expressions are not going to be allowed for student safety. Students will not be allowed to jump, gather in circles, or shout. Michael Bregy, the Beverly Hills Unified Superintendent said, “We value students ’ freedom of expression and encourage respectful civic engagement,” but that staff “acted swiftly to de-escalate when expressions crossed into disruption.”, according to the Los Angeles Times.
A source told the Times that some students had flags that were on poles, which can clearly be seen in the TikTok video, and that violates the educational code.
