Don't be this kid...

A Minnesota student is fighting a five-day suspension for a public display of patriotism at his high school, which he says could hurt his chances of getting a scholarship with the Air Force.

Bryce Reps is among more than a dozen students at Red Wing High School being punished for painting slogans on school windows and doors, including "USA," "GOD BLESS AMERICA," and "NEVER FORGET 9/11," with erasable chalk.

The students also drew red, white and blue streamers and stuck roughly 150 mini American flags around the grounds.

Reps, labeled as the "ringleader" of the group, is the only student who received a full five day suspension, while the rest of his compatriots only got two days for defacing school property.

"My suspension is more severe than for someone who shows up to school drunk or has drugs on them." Reps told ABC News. He said having this on his record would affect his ability to obtain a $15,000 Air Force college program scholarship to study at the University of Minnesota.

"I talked to a captain in the Air Force and that'll make a big, big difference," Reps said.

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Aglahad said:

I don't get the racial connotations part, when did America become a race?

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As part of Red Wing's homecoming week festivities, seniors at the school initially wanted to celebrate "Merica Monday," but were not permitted to because of racial connotations underlying the slogan. Instead, Reps said he struck a deal with administrators that would allow them to participate and dress up for a national pride day.

But some students were still not happy with the decision, and around 8:30 p.m. on the last Sunday in September, snuck onto school grounds to revamp the premises with patriotic flair.

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As part of Red Wing's homecoming week festivities, seniors at the school initially wanted to celebrate "Merica Monday," but were not permitted to because of racial connotations underlying the slogan. Instead, Reps said he struck a deal with administrators that would allow them to participate and dress up for a national pride day.

But some students were still not happy with the decision, and around 8:30 p.m. on the last Sunday in September, snuck onto school grounds to revamp the premises with patriotic flair.

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Reps, who is currently bargaining with the school to downgrade the severity of his five day suspension, says he is being "targeted" for an earlier incident in September when he wrote a letter to the local paper criticizing the school's decision not to commemorate the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

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"I really do love my country," Reps said. "We're all straight A's, National Honor Society students, not a group of bad kids making a bad decision."

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cb7893 said:

Binged "'Merica". This is what I got. It appears to be a good-natured, deliberately over-the-top celebration of America. Could see the kids having a lot of fun with it. Could see mixing the folks in the pictures with enough adult beverages and there could be some lines crossed.

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/usa-usa-usa-58.jpg?w=500&h=666

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/usa-usa-usa-104.jpg?w=500&h=664

http://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/usa-usa-usa-98.jpg?w=500&h=876

If the school administration saw the discussion, I can imagine their over-reaction.

Kinnem, is that Mustang in the picture? I didn't know you're competitive swimmer.

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kinnem said:

Nope. Wrong pic. I'm in the third one. The jackass with the weapons!

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