In a case that quickly exposed a glaring double standard, a San Diego-area school district has reversed the suspension of a student who posted pro-ICE flyers—after facing pressure from a civil rights group. Funny how “rules” suddenly get flexible when someone actually calls them out.

The student, whose identity remains undisclosed, was suspended in February for putting up flyers reading, “We [heart] I.C.E. – Real Americans.” According to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), the flyers were placed in a common area where political messages had been posted before. Nothing unusual—unless, of course, the opinion doesn’t align with the preferred narrative.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Just two weeks earlier, the same school allowed students to participate in an anti-ICE walkout during school hours, where signs included phrases like “F*** ICE” and even personal insults targeting agents. Apparently, that didn’t qualify as “harassment” or “intimidation.”

But the pro-ICE flyers? That crossed the line—at least initially.

The school claimed the student’s actions were intimidating, a justification that didn’t hold up for long. FIRE stepped in, and after reviewing the situation, the district agreed to expunge the suspension entirely. As FIRE attorney Conor Fitzpatrick put it, expressing an opinion that others don’t like is not harassment—it’s democracy. A concept that seems to get lost in some school offices these days.

This incident comes amid a wave of student-led protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the country, some of which have sparked controversy and even violence. In one Washington state high school, protests led to arrests and assaults on journalists covering the events—because nothing says “peaceful protest” like attacking reporters, right?

In the end, the reversal sends a clear message: free speech isn’t supposed to be selective. Whether students support or oppose an issue, the same standards should apply. And in this case, accountability worked—proving that when fairness is enforced, common sense can still win out.