Starting July 1 of this year, every public classroom in the state of Florida could be required by law to display the American flag.
The current law says schools, colleges and universities are required to fly the American flag and the Florida flag on campus grounds, but once you walk through the school door that law flies out window.
A Florida lawmaker is pushing to change this, requiring every classroom across the state to display old glory.
"I think if you have to have a symbol in every class to remind you you’re patriotic, then you have a bigger problem than patriotism," says FSU student Jennifer Jensen.
Senate bill 612 was unanimously approved Wednesday by the Senate education committee, but here's the catch. The state's 28 community colleges and 11 universities must pay for the flags using student activity and service fees.
"I think it is frivolous. There are a lot of things we could spend the money on besides putting a flag in every classroom," says FSU student Joshua Moore.
The bill calls for the banner to be two feet by three feet long, which start at $7.00 a piece, not including the flagpole. The bill was approved by the Senate Education Committee and moves next to the military and veterans affairs, base protection and spaceports committee.
The bill calls for k-20 classrooms to display an American flag. For k-12 the flags are to be purchased using school funds or get them donated. Right now, Leon County has an American flag in every k-12 classroom.
