Vermont school raises Somali flag, sparks social media controversy

A rural school district in Vermont has caused an uproar Controversy on social media After the Somali flag was raised last week, amid a national reckoning over fraud in Minnesota’s Somali community, leading to the conviction of the state’s Republican Party chairman.

““I don’t understand why our K-12 schools think this is the most important thing,” Paul Dame, chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, told Fox News Digital. “I think Most residents of Vermont, Most Americans probably want their schools to focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic, not on flags displayed outside the school. “It seems like a huge waste of time.”

The Winooski School District, located in western Vermont near the city of Burlington, is at the center of the controversy.

“We are raising the Somali flag this week in honor of our Somali youth and families in Winooski and Vermont,” the Winooski School District said in a statement. Share Facebook On December 5th. “On Monday, we will come together to celebrate together and learn more about our civil rights.”

A Somali flag flies under an American flag in the Winooski School District in Vermont on December 5, 2025. (Winooski School District via Facebook)

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Over the weekend, the story spread on X and other social media sites, with photos of the flag being reposted across the web.

This led the school district to clarify Monday in a comment on its original Facebook post.

“First, we want to assure our community that the U.S. flag will remain in its rightful place at its highest point, in full compliance with the U.S. Flag Code,” the school’s follow-up post said. “The Winooski School District has three flagpoles: the American flag on the top flagpole, the Vermont state flag on the second flagstaff, and — this week — the Somali flag on the third flagstaff.”

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“The Somali flag will be raised for a week as a gesture of support for our Somali students and families,” the post read. “Winooski is A proudly diverse communityWe are committed to recognizing and promoting all the cultures that make our region stronger.”

A crowd of people gather around a flagpole on a Winooski School District property looks on as the Somali flag is raised on December 5, 2025. (Winooski School District via Facebook)

Deem described the potential for division that flying a foreign flag could provoke, calling it “deliberately provocative.”

“It doesn’t make things better for the students at the school, because obviously there are probably some students who support that and some students who feel differently,” Dame said. ““So there is nothing positive to unifying the school or creating a better learning environment.”

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“People have a hard time flying a flag over American property that’s not an American flag, and I think schools — it’s really essential that if schools want to be able to bring their community together — that they take a look at things like this that intentionally divide them, and bring their community together.

The district found support among many commenters on its Facebook page.

“So proud to be an alumnus of this amazing school district,” said one commenter, Jennifer Agnew. “Thank you for doing what you can to protect our community members, and for showing us the way in this dark time.”

A group of people are photographed on Dec. 5, 2025, looking up as a Somali flag is raised on Winooski School District property. (Winooski School District via Facebook)

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“Grateful for our Somali neighbors – you are welcome and I appreciate your contributions to our city!” Kate Kappelman-Sines said.

Responses to X took a much different tone.

“We should not be flying foreign flags on the grounds of America’s public schools,” said Brigitte Gabriel, author and founder of ACT for America. “Especially the Somali flag! The Winooski School District in Vermont must be held accountable.”

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Commentator Benny Johnson said, “Winooski School in Vermont raised the Somali flag in protest against President Trump and a message that all Somalis are welcome in the state.” “I have a suggestion for the next stop for ICE.”

The school district’s move comes amid a U.S. House of Representatives investigation and a Treasury Department review of the matter The schemes are largely perpetrated by the Somali community in Minnesota It involves the alleged theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in COVID relief funds and fraud related to public housing programs and autism relief services.

Claims that at least some of The money was transferred to the African The Islamist terrorist group Al-Shabaab is also being investigated.

The Winooski School District did not respond to a request for comment.

A protester waves a Somali flag as a vehicle passes near a protest rally against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), amid a reported federal immigration operation targeting the Somali community, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 8, 2025. (Tim Evans/Reuters)

Employees of the Minnesota Department of Human Services Democratic Gov. Tim Walz accused to preside over the alleged fraud, despite being warned of its existence.

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President Donald Trump has thrown his weight into the Truth Social controversy, vowing to end the popular path to legal residency in the United States.

“Minnesota, under Gov [Tim] “Falls is a hub for fraudulent money laundering activities,” he said in a post dated November 20. “I, as President of the United States, hereby terminate, effective immediately, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis in Minnesota.”