ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County school district said students must have parents' permission to kneel during the National Anthem at sporting events.
The issue has been making national headlines since NFL player Colon Kaepernick took a knee in protest of social injustice.
Some young athletes are starting to follow national players’ lead on the issue, although none did at a local high school football game Thursday night.
Several school districts said it has not happened in central Florida.
And that held true Thursday night, as Evans High School took on Jones High School at Camping World Stadium.
But a southwest Florida school district said students needed written permission to kneel.
Orange County Public Schools said it has interpreted state law to treat the National Anthem like the Pledge of Allegiance.
District officials said like the policy on the Pledge of Allegiance, students may kneel if they have permission in the form of a letter from a parent.
“I have to stay neutral, but whatever they do, I’m going to support them. That’s really between that individual and their family,” said Jones High School football coach Elijah Williams.
A school district spokesperson said that if any of the students had kneeled, they would not have gotten in trouble.
Orange County Public Schools said its legal team is still reviewing state law.
State statute mentions students should stand for the National Anthem, but only mentioned students being excused by a written letter for the Pledge of Allegiance.
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