A Vermont school district ignited national controversy Friday by raising the Somali flag on school grounds, just days after President Donald Trump warned about the dangers of unchecked refugee programs. The move has triggered widespread backlash from critics who say public schools should not display foreign national symbols, especially using taxpayer resources.
The Winooski School District said the gesture was meant to honor Somali students and families in the community. “We are raising the Somali flag this week in honor of our Somali youth and families,” the district originally stated on Facebook. That post has since been deleted following the public reaction.
Social media erupted with criticism, with many calling the move “un-American” and demanding funding cuts. One viral comment urged prosecution for what it called “raising a foreign flag with our tax dollars.”
City and school officials defended the decision as a gesture of inclusion. Interim Winooski Mayor Thomas Renner claimed the criticism may alienate minority residents. “When people who are integral to the community begin to feel unwelcome or hesitant to participate publicly, it harms everyone,” he said.
The Somali flag was raised on a third flagpole designated for affinity group flags, while the American and Vermont flags remained on the primary masts. Officials did not confirm which flag the Somali flag temporarily replaced, though the district has flown other symbolic flags in the past, including the Pride flag.
Approximately 600 Somali refugees live in Chittenden County, most of whom arrived in the late 1990s following the Somali Civil War. Some local advocates argue that symbolic gestures like flag-raisings support integration, while others see it as an erosion of American civic identity.
Trump’s recent comments on prioritizing assimilation and limiting refugee resettlement have sharpened national attention on actions like these. The debate now centers on whether public institutions should serve as platforms for cultural representation or remain strictly national in symbolism.
