Early Friday, as a group of Kickapoo High students prepared to mark the national Day of Silence — to raise awareness about the bullying and intimidation of LGBTQ students —a few students drove through the parking lot, waving flags.

A district spokesman said "three or four" students were circling through the parking lots of the high school in vehicles displaying the American flag. At least one also showed off a Confederate battle flag.

The unusual activity, which may have been a counter protest, topped off a difficult week at Kickapoo.

At least twice in the past week, spirit week posters created by the school's Gay Straight Trans Alliance, or GSTA, were ripped off the wall. They were designed to mark activities and raise awareness leading up to the Day of Silence.

The destruction of the posters — described as bullying incidents by Kickapoo Principal Bill Powers — happened April 5 and again April 10 and ignited a social media storm that has not completely gone away.

In the first incident, caught on video, a student ripped the poster off the wall and dunked it into a crowd of nearly 600 students. Dozens clapped and laughed. The second time, days later, no cheering was reported.

Powers addressed the entire school over the intercom just hours after the first incident and stated, in part: "Disrespect of any student in our school will not be tolerated. Here at Kickapoo and across SPS, we are committed to a learning environment that makes all of our students feel safe, secure and respected for who they are."

He met, at least twice, with students in the GSTA and repeatedly sent emails to students and parents.

More:Second LGBT poster ripped off wall at Kickapoo High School

A "KHS Straight Pride" profile on Instagram boasts: "We don't support LGBT ideology being pushed on students. Not affiliated with KHS faculty or staff. Facts don't care about your feelings." It is not clear who created the profile.

Following the first incident, GSTA and other students recreated the poster ripped down and many others have expressed support for Kickapoo's LGBT students and GSTA in the past week, especially on social media.

Stephen Hall, chief communications officer for Springfield Public Schools, confirmed the flag incident Friday afternoon. "We feel like it's been handled and dealt with."

Hall said three or four students were driving through the parking lot before school Friday and displaying flags. The unusual activity was reported to Kickapoo administrators, who responded to the parking lot.

Parking lots surrounding the high school — with an enrollment of 1,800 students — are congested and swarming with vehicles before the first bell.

"They continued to drive through and because it was considered potentially dangerous, the administrators directly went to handle it," Hall said.

Earlier in the week, the district confirmed the students caught ripping down posters were disciplined for bullying.

According to the student handbook, discipline for a first-time bullying offense at the high school level ranges from a conference — a meeting with the student and possibly his or her parents — to an out-of-school suspension.

Asked if the students involved in the Friday flag incident were disciplined, Hall said they were not. He said the students voluntarily removed the flags, parked their vehicles and none were tardy to class.

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