Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, has removed the American flag and all other flags from campus after the flag was stolen and burned following the school lowering it to half-staff the day after the election.
Hampshire College President Jonathan Lash claimed in a Facebook statement the election was not the reason for the decision. “Some have perceived the action of lowering the flag as a commentary on the results of the presidential election — this, unequivocally, was not our intent,” he said.
Lash said the reason for flying the flag at half-staff was the heightened tensions and racial incidents taking place at the time.
Regardless of the reason, the American flag was stolen and burned the day after it was lowered. The flag was then replaced and lowered again, prompting a backlash from those supportive of the military and veterans who are typically honored by lowering the flag.
As a result of the backlash, officials decided to remove the American flag and all other flags from the campus at least temporarily. Lash said the school would "instead focus our efforts on addressing racist, misogynistic, Islamophobic, anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and behaviors."
Many Facebook users lambasted the college’s decision to remove all flags, however. Bob Gardner wrote, "As both a veteran and a taxpayer, I am appalled at the decision of this college to ban the flying of the U.S. flag, the symbol of your school's educational freedom."
Veteran Tiffany Hersh reminded readers of the values the flag represents, such as valor, vigilance and justice. “I think these are values that are instrumental in guiding the future leaders of America, and not to be carelessly discarded,” she commented on the school's Facebook post.