California Honor Student, 12, Told to Remove American Flag Shirt Because Stars are ‘Gang-Related’ By Joseph Tippins on November 2, 2015

A California school told a 12-year-old honor student to remove his American flag shirt because the stars were ‘gang-related’.

Dustin Cole, a seventh-grader at Yuba Gardens Intermediate School in Olivehurst, was given a dress code violation for his patriotic top.

The blue shirt, originally priced $20 from Kohl’s, features the word ‘California’ with an American flag in the shape of a bear as well as a red star with the number 31 in one corner – a reference to the fact that California became the 31st state in 1850.

However, school officials said the red star is often associated with the Nortenos – a collective of street gangs associated with Northern California.

Ramiro Carreon, the assistant superintendent of Marysville Joint Unified School District, told Fox40 that the local gang task force identify colors and designs linked to gangs.

‘That design has been associated with gangs in the past, and we cannot just turn a blind eye to that.

So Cole was sent home last week with his shirt inside out.

His mother Lori Carpenter said the youngster is not part of a gang and has never been in any trouble.

She said she bought the shirt because she liked the color and style for her son, believes the school overreacted.

‘He said he was he was ‘dress coded’ at school because the stars were gang-related.’

Carpenter added that although she understands the school are working to keep people safe, in this situation, their response was ‘a little too far’.

‘Especially when it is a patriotic shirt,’ she added.