by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News April 10, 2025

An 18-year-old student has filed a lawsuit against Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS), stating his constitutional rights were violated when the district suspended him after he had inquired about American flags missing from classrooms.

Parker Jensen

Parker Jensen, a Towson High School senior who is set to be a U.S. Marine, was suspended for seven days after he drove to the county schools’ office to inquire on why the flags were missing from several classrooms at the school.

According to Baltimore County School Board Policy 6307 and Maryland Education Code 7-105, an American flag must be displayed in each classroom.

Instead of getting answers, the BCPS called the police and Jensen was told by Richard Muth, the school safety emergency manager, that he was immediately suspended for seven days.

“He was summarily suspended without any due process whatsoever, which every student in Baltimore County and Maryland has the right to and they stripped him of that within five seconds,” said Jensen’s lawyer, Sarah Spitalnick.

In the lawsuit filed on April 3, Spitalnick said the school district acted unlawfully when it suspended Jensen for a week.

As of now, because of the suspension, Jensen cannot attend his senior prom – which is scheduled for mid-May. If the lawsuit is successful and the suspension is vacated, he can attend.

“He got suspended for very little cause,” said Spitalnick. “He did nothing wrong besides try to bring forth his First Amendment right and really enforce a Maryland law, which is to have American flags in every single classroom.”

Spitalnick fears the suspension could negatively affect Jensen’s grades and future.

Jensen is set to report for Marine boot camp in August but if he decided after serving in the Marines to go to college, the suspension could affect his college application.

In the lawsuit, Jensen asks for his suspension to be vacated along with monetary relief from the school district for damages.

“We’re still pushing to make sure that he has the most successful and active senior year he possibly can,” Spitalnick told Project Baltimore.

Baltimore County Public Schools told Fox45 News: “As of April 1, flags have been installed in the classrooms that did not have them.”

Parker Jensen got suspended from school for seven days because he asked why US flags weren’t displayed in each classroom as required by Maryland law.

Parker is suing Baltimore Public Schools.

Good. They broke the law and punished him for exercising his right to free speech. pic.twitter.com/m4bEb57f0A

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) April 10, 2025

Support Free Press Foundation

The American Free Press is Back!

  Baltimore student suspended for inquiring about missing American flags sues school district, WorldTribune.com

Source link