Friday night football is tonight and four local high school players may not be on the field. Four players including the starting quarterback at Lansing Catholic reportedly will be benched if they protest during the national anthem at tonight's home game against Ionia.
Lansing Catholic is a private religious school, but there is already backlash online against the school. People are leaving comments on the school's page - with many blasting the school for benching the players who may protest. The school has since deleted the comments from the page.
The protest during the Star Spangled Banner started with NFL players kneeling or raising their fists, and the protest has now trickled down to schools. Students say they are protesting racism and police brutality against African-Americans.
Last Friday night, the Jackson High School Varsity football team kneeled on the field in Grand Ledge before the Star Spangled Banner.
Michael Lynn III who is an African-American student attending Lansing Catholic High School is the quarterback and wants to peacefully protest. The Lansing State Journal reports the other three players planning to protest with Lynn tonight are Matthew Abdullah, Kabbash Richards and Roje Williams.
Lynn says the players were told they would be benched for tonight if they kneel.
