Students protest parking lot flag ban at Minnesota school

COLD SPRING, Minn. (AP) — Students at a central Minnesota high school are flying American flags on their pickup trucks to protest a recent ban.

Rocori High School in Cold Spring has changed the student handbook to ban all flags and banners on vehicles in the school parking lot.

Superintendent Scott Staska says the change came after last spring when Confederate flags began showing up on vehicles in the parking lot. He says school administrators are responsible for creating a safe and respectful environment for all students while balancing rights to free speech.

WJON-AM reports nearly a dozen pickups displayed the American flag at Rocori Wednesday.