September 11, 2016
Frank Franklin II/AP
Fans cheer during the playing of the national anthem before an NFL football game.
Nearly all members of a South Jersey high school football team took a knee during the national anthem before a game.
Woodrow Wilson, a school located in Camden, hosted Highland for its home opener on Saturday afternoon.
According to NJ.com, head coach Preston Brown informed his players on Friday that he would kneel during the "The Star-Spangled Banner." When the song began, he found out that most of his players decided to join in the protest.
In the video, team members are seen on one knee while a recorded version of the song played on the stadium's speakers.
The demonstration is the latest in the ongoing national debate that was started by 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Last month, Kaepernick said he would refuse to stand for the national anthem due to racial inequality in the United States.
Other NFL players have since chosen not to stand and, now that the high school football season has started, so have students.
One Pennsylvania school went so far as to revise its announcement that threatens anyone who does not stand for the anthem with ejection.
The Camden County School District issued a statement encouraging students to stand for the flag, but respecting their First Amendment rights. It reads (via philly.com):
"The District supports standing for the flag, but this is a personal issue, and we strongly respect our students' experiences and their exercising our country's First Amendment rights. Whether our students choose to stand, kneel, or otherwise, we're proud of their engagement with what is more broadly a very important social justice issue."
Woodrow Wilson lost to Highland, 13-7.
