NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana says it has received two separate complaints that students were told they would be punished for sitting during the Pledge of Allegiance, an act protected as free speech.

ACLU Director Marjorie Esman says she's received two complaints in 24 hours, so she suspects it's probably more widespread. Rather than deal only with the two districts in question, she has written every school superintendent in Louisiana to remind them the protest is protected.

Silent protests against social injustice have spread nationwide since San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem this season.

Esman won't say which school districts are involved. She says she doesn't want people "grilling students to out their classmates."

 

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