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Student’s Pledge of Allegiance Case Dismissed With Help From Roc Nation

Posted on March 5th, 2019
by
Staff Editor


JAY-Z‘s Roc Nation recently rallied in support of Jabari Talbot, a 6th grade boy who was arrested last month after he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. The incident happened on Feb. 4 at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, Florida. According to Bay News 9, Jabari explained to his substitute teacher that he would not participate in the pledge because “the flag was racist and the national anthem was offensive to black people.”

The teacher, Ana Alvarez, then asked the student why he didn’t simply leave the country if he hated it so much; Jabari reportedly responded: “They brought me here.”

“Well you can always go back because I came here from Cuba,” she responded, “and the day I feel I’m not welcome here any more I would find another place to live.”

Shortly after, Jabari was arrested by a school resource officer, who claimed the student was being disruptive and refused to obey commands. An arrest affidavit states that Jabari threatened the substitute teacher with physical violence and told the principle and arresting officer he would get them fired.

The child’s arrest eventually caught the attention of Team ROC, a division of Roc Nation that’s dedicated to assisting victims of racial injustice. The team has been involved in a number of high-profile cases, including 21 Savage’s legal battle against ICE

Team Roc called on famed attorney Alex Spiro to handle Jabari’s case. “Jabari is a courageous and intelligent young man who deserves all the credit for standing up for his beliefs,” Spiro said in a statement. “He should’ve never been arrested or entangled in this situation—his freedom of speech rights were clearly protected under the 1st Amendment.”

Photo: @RocNation via Twitter

After receiving a wave of support, Jabari’s case has since been dismissed. The 6th-grader’s mother, Dhakira Talbot, thanked the Roc Nation family for all their efforts and committment to justice.

“My son and I are grateful for all the athletes, entertainers, Roc Nation and community of supporters that have raised awareness about this injustice and showed their support—both publicly and privately […]” she said. “Although Jabari’s case has been dismissed, I do want people to know this isn’t just about my son—this prejudice happens to African-American kids all across the country. The fight isn’t over, which is why I have a civil rights complaint pending with the U.S. Department of Education. At the end of the day, I want to ensure that no child ever has to experience this injustice again and we will appreciate everyone’s continued support.”

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