Jo-Ann Butler could face batter criminal charges after she admitted to stealing a MAGA hat from a classmate. CBS Sacramento reports that the drama unfolded at Union Mine High School in El Dorado, California. Butler told the station she believes the hat is a “racist and hateful symbol. The CBS report says that Butler, 17, is facing battery charges against the student who was wearing the hat. That’s in addition to a battery charge for allegedly slapping a teacher who was trying to subdue her. Butler says, “Maybe just wake people up in some type of way, because it’s not cool the environment our classroom is in.”
Her father, Chris, told CBS that the incident, “Wasn’t handled the way I would like it… I don’t agree with grabbing someone’s hat and verbally talking to them in that way. But as far as the issue being brought up, maybe this is something that needs to be brought up.” Butler has been suspended from school for a week following the incident.
A statement from the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office on the incident read:
On August 27, 2018, a juvenile student at Union Mine High School was arrested after an altercation occurred on school grounds. In a classroom, the juvenile student began verbally berating another student, because they were wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. The suspect grabbed the hat off of the other student’s head and threw it to the ground. The teacher told the upset student to leave the classroom.
The suspect shortly returned to the classroom and escalated the argument for a second time, again removing the victim’s hat. When the teacher held out his arm to keep the upset student away from the victim, the suspect slapped the teacher’s arm.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office School Resource Officer responded and arrested the suspect, who was transported to the El Dorado County Juvenile Hall.”