Three of them parked their vehicles on the street, less than a block from the high school. Faucett and his friends returned to their vehicles after school to find the flags stolen.

Novak said people have the right to think what they want, but they don’t have the right to steal.

“All the flags were gone,” Faucett said. “One was ripped off the pole.”

This has done little to dissuade the students. They’ve already ordered new flags and plan to fly them again once the community calms down.

Magnuson said they are now trying to share the “true meaning” of the flag.

Novak said he has received a lot of support from fellow students telling him to keep the flags up.

Both Mallicoat and Superintendent Troy Gunderson consulted attorneys before asking the students to remove the flags.

“As a school you want to make sure you handle these cases carefully,” Gunderson said.

Gunderson cited the West Salem High School handbook’s policy that states a student’s freedom of speech can be limited if it causes a significant disruption, is perversely vulgar, or is harmful to one’s self or others.