American Flag Pic Banned from Yearbook, But There's More to the Story

Foxborough, MA - A parent of a Foxborough High School senior said that the school’s yearbook refused to run a photo of her daughter because the American flag is in the background, but the school is defending their decision.

Lisa Truax, a mother of the child in question, said in a post on Facebook that the photo was part of a paid advertisement in the yearbook purchased by the Red Wing, where her daughter works.

According to Truax, when the she was informed of the rejection, the flag was given as the reason.

Foxborough High School Principal Diana M. Myers-Pachla, who confirmed that the photo was submitted on behalf of a local business as an advertisement, said the yearbook declined the photo because the student was standing on the bottom of the flag.

“We do not view standing on the U.S. flag as respectful or appropriate,” Myers-Pachla said in a statement. “We take respect for the United States flag very seriously as it is the most important symbolic representation of our national pride.”

The yearbook advisor spoke to the family Wednesday, offering to consider publishing a cropped photograph, according to Myers-Pachla. However, the school also asked a local veterans agency about the photo, who told the school that publishing the photograph, as is or cropped, would be an inappropriate display of the United States flag.

While Truax’s feet can not be seen in the initial post, her feet are clearly on the flag in an uncropped photo.

Late Thursday night, Lisa Truax updated her original post, explaining that her daughter simply wanted to show her patriotism by using the backdrop.

“This is a commercially produced photography backdrop not an American flag. My 18 year old daughter wanted to show her patriotism. The issue here is the explanation I received from FHS was, they will not allow this photo because they were uncomfortable with the American flag in the background. We truly mean no disrespect to FHS, the veterans, and the American flag,” she wrote.

Did Foxborough High School make the right call? Tell us in our comments section!