Minnesota 'Teacher Of The Year' snubs Trump by taking a knee during National Anthem right behind the President
Minnesota's 'teacher of the year' for 2018, Kelly D. Holstine was seen kneeling during the national anthem at the LSU-Clemson game as Donald Trump was in attendance.
The teacher, 46, is an instructor at the Tokata Learning Center which is an alternative high school located in Shakopee in Minnesota. The teacher had been on the sidelines in order to be recognized by the state's educational establishment. Holstine, was seen proudly announcing her protest against Trump during the championship game.
She had also taken to Twitter to share a picture showing her act of protest on Monday, January 13 along with the caption, "Honored as State Teachers of the Year at NCAA Champ FB Game. Given a platform to stand up for marginalized and oppressed people. Like many before, I respectfully kneeled during Nat’ l Anthem because ‘No one is free until we are all free'." Holstine also added the hashtags "#imwithkap, #blacklivesmatter, and #LGBTQ." One of the pictures that Holstine shared featured her kneeling on the field at the Mercedez-Benz Superdome in New Orleans while other 'teachers of the year' awardees were seen standing during the national anthem.
"Not everybody is given the opportunity to have a voice, and I can take a small moment, a respectful moment of protest, and exercise my First Amendment rights, and stand up for my students and for vulnerable adults and for people who are not treated in the way that they should be. It feels like my responsibility to do that," Holstine added.
She shared that she had decided to mount her protest when the teachers were told that they could put their hands over their hearts if they wanted to during the national anthem. This is not the first time that Holstine has protested Donald Trump. When the Minnesota teachers went to the White House last year, Holstine refused to enter and chose to speak to the media about her dislike for Donald Trump.
Holstine, who is married to her wife Emma Freeman, has been an advocate for equal rights for minorities for a long time.