Longview ISD Says No to Trump Rally on School Grounds
A planned rally in support of President Donald Trump set for this Sunday in Longview, Texas will have to find a new spot to set up their flags. The Longview News Journal is reporting that Jennifer Smith, one of the organizer of this event, was contacted on Tuesday morning by Longview Independent School District officials and informed that the gates would be closed this weekend and no such rally would be taking place on one of their campuses.
LISD officials say that they did not decide to close the campuses this weekend, but rather following the districts existing policy. They also stated that even student groups who wish to hold non-curriculum events on district property must still receive prior written permission from that campus administrator. When asked if this closure was in response to the Trump rally, no comment was given.
This news was somewhat surprising to some after a similar event, a convoy of vehicles sporting enough flags to rival the Olympic opening ceremonies, rolled through Longview this past Sunday. That route included a pass through Longview High School's parking lot. Longview Police spokesman Shawn Hera says that since this was a convoy (allowed under Texas law with no required permits), it was perfectly legal.
Smith says that they have already found a new place to stage their rally this weekend, thanks to some helpful local business owners.
I grew up in and around Longview, and I was pleased to see that even though folks in this city and the area surrounding it absolutely have some political disagreements - this was handled with class by all of those I have seen involved. After the school said no, event organizers simply replied with "We are OK with that because we are peaceful and compliant patriots."