Somali Flag Flown Outside Vermont School Building Over Trump ‘Garbage’ Slur Brings Threats

December 15, 2025

A Vermont school district in Winooski faced a wave of racist threats and harassing communications after displaying a Somali flag for one week to support students of Somali descent, who comprise approximately 9% of the student body. The gesture was intended as a response to President Trump's derogatory comments about Minnesota's Somali community and to demonstrate solidarity with affected students. The backlash forced school officials to shut down phone lines and the district website to protect staff from harassment, while law enforcement investigates the threats and provides additional security at school buildings.

Who is affected

Somali students and families in the Winooski School District
District staff members and administrators receiving harassing communications
Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria, a Nicaraguan immigrant
Mukhtar Abdullahi, a multilingual liaison for Somali-speaking families
The broader Somali immigrant community in Vermont (approximately 8,000 residents in Winooski)
Minnesota's Somali community referenced in Trump's original comments

What action is being taken

Additional police officers are stationed at school buildings as a precaution
The district is helping law enforcement investigate the continued threats
Some school phone lines have been shut down to shield staff from harassment
The district website has been shut down to protect against harassment
Federal authorities began an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota focusing on Somali immigrants

Why it matters

This incident highlights the real-world consequences of inflammatory political rhetoric targeting immigrant communities, demonstrating how national-level statements can trigger localized harassment and threats against vulnerable populations. The situation illustrates the tensions between celebrating cultural diversity in schools and the backlash such efforts can generate in the current political climate. It also raises important questions about school safety, the role of educational institutions in supporting marginalized students, and the challenges administrators face when trying to create inclusive environments during periods of heightened anti-immigrant sentiment.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint