High school student’s claim that U.S. flag shirt was called ‘racist’ by school is denied by officials, citing security video

Charges that a high school student was told by school officials to cover up a t-shirt depicting an American flag “because it was racist” are being vehemently denied by Riverhead Central School District officials.

The stepmother of the student who made the accusation posted about it on her Facebook page Wednesday evening, touching off a  maelstrom of controversy.

“My stepson wore this to school today…” Danielle Futerko wrote on Facebook, underneath a photo of a shirt depicting an American flag, a bald eagle and the words “U.S. Army 1775” and “This we’ll defend.”

Futerko also said other children were spoken to as well and claimed that the spirit week American pride day was changed to Harry Potter Day because pride day was “racist.”

In an interview Wednesday evening, Futerko said her stepson told her that both an assistant principal and a teacher asked him to put on a sweatshirt to cover the T-shirt. He did not know their names because he recently moved here from New Hampshire, Futerko said.

She declined to provide her stepson’s name for fear he might get in trouble at school, she said. She declined to provide the names of other parents whose children reportedly had “similar experiences.”

“I do not want their lives being disrupted at this time,” she said.

Riverhead Schools Superintendent Nancy Carney said Wednesday night that the district has no policy against wearing clothing with the American flag on it. She was surprised to learn of the allegation and said she would speak to high school principal Charles Regan about it. Later that night, Carney said Regan had called the assistant principals who denied ever saying anything to any student about any t-shirt.

As for the selection of “Harry Potter Day” over “American Pride Day,” Carney said the spirit week themes are chosen by the student government, not the administration.

She said she would look into the matter further the following day.

Yesterday, Carney said Regan had spoken with the student, his father and stepmother.

“The student said it was a Hispanic male in a tie who said this to him in the hallway between classes — who told him to put on sweatshirt,” Carney said.

“We checked all video and could not find any interactions with this student in the halls,” she said. In all the videos, Carney said, “the student was wearing a sweatshirt in the videos,” she said. “He was not spoken to about a shirt by any administrator or teacher that we can find.”

Futerko said yesterday Regan told them it was “a misunderstanding” and “he was going to figure out which adults said this.”

“I told the principal I will be at the board meeting on the 18th,” Futerko said. “I have heard other parents will be coming to address this issue,” she said.

“I do not want teachers or staff members fired. I want the principal to address staff and let them know this is not acceptable,” Futerko said. “We all belong and should live free.”