Plan advances to fly Black Lives Matter flag at BHS

The plan to fly a Black Lives Matter flag at Burlington High School is gaining momentum.

Burlington High School student Eli Pine presented a plan Tuesday to the School Board’s Diversity and Equity Committee, WPTZ-TV reports. Pine has collected more than 400 signatures for a petition to annually raise a Black Lives Matter flag at the school.

Students at Montpelier High School began flying a Black Lives Matter flag earlier this month.

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Pine, a BHS senior, says students want to raise the flag for Black History Month beginning in February until the end of the school year. Pine says black history is given a month when it should be taught year-round.

Superintendent Yaw Obeng commended the students on their effort. The students must draft a resolution to be approved by the board.

News of the student initiative to fly the flag was first reported last week by the Burlington Free Press.

Pine wrote in an email this past weekend to the Free Press that students spoke to Principal Tracy Racicot on Friday of the overwhelming support for the flag at the high school. Pine said Racicot and the BHS administration support the action.

"We will now only need approval from the district, and if we can do so before the February 13th Board meeting, we hope to raise the flag on the 13th," Pine wrote.

Contributing: Nicole Higgins DeSmet of the Free Press.