Minnesota’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ takes a knee during national anthem at NCAA football final

Minnesota’s ‘Teacher of the Year’ took a knee during the national anthem at the College Football Playoff championship game in New Orleans on Monday night, right behind President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania. 

Kelly Holstine, who won Minnesota’s 2019 ‘Teacher of the Year’ award, was honored at the big game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. 

When it was time for the national anthem she took a knee in protest of the president and in solidarity with the communities she says are oppressed under the Trump administration. 

‘I just decided that it felt like the right thing to do, to have a very respectful protest,’ Holstine said to The Hill. ‘It’s really Martin Luther King Jr. says it best: “Nobody’s free until we’re all free.”‘

Holstine pictured above taking a knee behind President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania at the game between the Clemson Tigers and the LSU Tigers. She said she did it to protest Trump and in solidarity with the groups oppressed by the Trump administration 

Holstine shared this tweet after the protest saying: ‘Given platform to stand up for marginalized and oppressed people. Like many before, I respectfully kneeled during the Nat’l Anthem because, “No one is free until we are free”‘

Holstine and her fellow honorees were told ahead of time that Trump would be on the field for the game for the national anthem. They were told they could place their hand on their heart or not during the national anthem.  

After consulting other educators and her wife, Holstine decided to kneel to protest Trump’s administration. She said the others standing with her were ‘very supportive’. 

‘I think the current environment that is being created and has been created in his tenure definitely adds to my feelings of wanting to support individuals who are not being supported,’ Holstine said. 

‘I really feel like our country is not serving the needs of all its inhabitants … so many humans right now that are not being given the respect and the rights that they deserve,’ she added.  

She took a knee behind President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania

Trump has been a vehement critic of people who kneel during the anthem and has often attacked former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (above in 2016) when he knelt during the anthem

But this isn’t the first time that Holstine has defied President Trump. She skipped a White House ceremony recognizing the ‘Teacher of the Year’ honorees in April to defy Trump’s education policies

Her protest echoed former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s kneeling protest in 2016 where he took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. 

Trump was an outspoken critic of Kaepernick for his protest. 

‘Not everybody is given the opportunity to have a voice, and I can take a small moment, a respectful moment of protest, and exercise my First Amendment rights, and stand up for my students and for vulnerable adults and for people who are not treated in the way that they should be. It feels like my responsibility to do that,’ Holstine said. 

Holstine is currently the director of educational equity for OutFront Minnesota, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. Before that she worked at an alternative high school in Minnesota that she helped design and open. Pictured right with her wife 

Holstine pictured with presidential hopeful Elizabeth Warren

But this isn’t the first time that Holstine’s defied President Trump. 

She skipped a White House ceremony recognizing the ‘Teacher of the Year’ honorees in April, along with Kentucky honoree Jessica Duenas. They skipped the event to defy Trump’s education policies.  

Holstine is currently the director of educational equity for OutFront Minnesota, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. 

Before that she worked at an alternative high school in Minnesota that she helped design and open.