Breaking: Little Miami football players reinstated after flag suspension

Update: Two Little Miami High School football players are no longer suspended from the football team after they ran onto the field carrying a “Thin Blue Line” flag and a “Thin Red Line” flag.

Little Miami is set to play at Loveland on Friday, Sept. 18, Loveland Athletic Director Brian Conatser confirmed. The Eastern Cincinnati Conference website lists it as postponed. Loveland's game with Milford last week was postponed because opponent Milford had an athlete who tested positive for COVID.

Previous reporting: Before Little Miami High School's football game Friday, Sept. 11, cornerback Brady Williams and linebacker Jarad Bentley took the field carrying "thin blue line" and "thin red line" flags.

Williams and Bentley, who are reportedly sons of a policeman and fireman respectively, have been suspended from the Little Miami football team, according to a statement obtained by our media partners at Fox 19. The players were told not to do it but did it anyway, according to the school.

The flags have been used in association with the Blue Lives Matter movement, a pro-police group.

A spokesperson for Little Miami Schools told Fox19 the players did ask for permission in advance to run with the flags but were told no.

The Morrow, Ohio, high school released the following statement to Fox 19: "Little Miami is saddened to see this story take such a negative turn. While we understand these students' desire (to) show their support of first responders, they did not obtain permission from district officials. Administrators must act when students break the rules."

"The Patriot Night program to memorialize the victims of 9/11 was already part of our pre-game ceremonies on Friday and the American flag is the first thing through the tunnel every Friday night. Little Miami enjoys an outstanding relationship with local first police and fire agencies and a Little Miami school resource officer is also a high school football coach.

“Little Miami always has – and always will – support our first responders, our veterans, and all who sacrifice to maintain our freedoms.”

A petition on change.org urging the district to lift the suspension had more than 18,000 signatures Tuesday morning.

"(Jarad) and Brady took a Thin blue and red striped flag out on the field after they were told not to," the petition said. "The school suspended them indefinitely for supporting their fallen hero’s (sic). Sign this petition to help unsuspend the 2 student-athletes who have lost their senior season."

Megan Adkins says her Black son, a third-grader who looks up to the football players, deserv... (Read more)

https://twitter.com/LM_Schools/status/1305906436094992387

https://twitter.com/DavidWinterTV/status/1305621995678244864

https://twitter.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1305908984470212615

Latest News