Natalie Pate

Statesman Journal

Updated November 10, 2016 at 3:42 p.m.

Two students from Silverton High School have been suspended, accused of intimidating and threatening behavior at a pro-Trump demonstration at the school on Tuesday.

Before classes and during both the school's lunches, 30 to 40 students gathered on and around their trucks, waving Trump signs and American flags.

At least one student was waving a Confederate flag, but took it down after the school's principal, Justin Lieuallen, spoke to him.

Lieuallen said the students were expressing their own views, but there were a couple of incidents where students overstepped their bounds.

Witnesses reported phrases such as "Pack your bags, you're leaving tomorrow" and "Tell your family good-bye" being shouted at Hispanic students. Others reported keeping their children home from school Wednesday.

Lieuallen said the school is required by law to look into any incidents reported to them.

He said there weren't any other demonstrations leading up to election day.

Cole Sandlin, a senior at the high school, was one of the students who organized the demonstration.

He said the students involved with the flag waving demonstration were not the ones saying racial slurs; that they came from two people who "were very clearly away from our event near the sidewalk or in the school."

"We were very peaceful," Sandlin said. "All we did was park our vehicles in the front of the parking lot, set up flags and have group of friends hang out in the parking lot."

He said there were some who did not respond positively to their demonstration.

"One student felt the need to circle us with his car multiple times speeding through the parking lot and even tried swerving at us to try and hit us or intimidate us," he said.

Sandlin said he was "never okay" with the one young man flying the confederate flag.

"We did not mean for any racism and did not mean for any feelings to be hurt," he said. "Our event was only meant to show support for our political views not demean anyone."

He was not aware of who was suspended and believes they were not connected with the demonstration.

To address this moving forward, Lieuallen said, the school is having discussions with students about respecting others and where the line is drawn between freedom of speech, and intimidating and threatening words and actions.

They will also be speaking to students about the consequences they could receive if they violate these restrictions, ranging from detention to expulsion within the school, or further with the police if there are any physical altercations.

He said there haven't been any physical altercations at this point that he knows of.

Contact Natalie at npate@StatesmanJournal.com, 503-399-6745, or follow her on Twitter @Nataliempate, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/nataliepatejournalist or on the Web at nataliepate.com

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