Deana Harley

Alvernia Student, Firefighter Forced to Take Down American Flag on 9/11 Anniversary

On the anniversary of 9/11, it would seem normal for American flags to be flying everywhere, but one student at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania was forced to take his flag down when he and his roommates hung it from the window of their on-campus townhouse.

“I'm a firefighter, so in honor of the 343 firefighters (that were killed on 9/11), I, along with my roommates, draped a flag from our second floor windows,” Zach Zechman, a senior at Alvernia told NBC10.

After a couple hours of the flag hanging, two resident assistants came and told Zechman he had to take it down. He said they brought a printed copy of the section of the student handbook that prohibits objects hanging from windows.

“American flags are welcome and flying throughout Alvernia’s campus at half-staff in honor of the day,” Carey Manzolillo, Associate Director of Communications for the University told NBC10 in an email. “Our student policy does however state that sheets, banners or other such objects may not be hung outside of windows or on the exterior portion of any residence hall.”

Manzolillo said the information could be found on page 61 of the Alvernia Student Handbook.

Zechman said he took the flag down, and is trying to set up a meeting with the Dean of Students to change the rules for certain days.

“I want it to be different for a day like today, where something like that means something,” Zechman said. 

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