Covington Catholic School Chaperone Tells Her Side Of The MAGA Hat Incident

Covington Catholic school chaperone Jill Hamlin told her side of the MAGA hat March for Life story on “Fox & Friends” Tuesday and said the school jumped the gun with their initial statement.

“We were all just gathered on the steps. You know, we had obviously heard the horrific insults that were thrown at our children by the black Hebrew Israelites and the boys were gathered on the steps,” she said. “I don’t know why Nathan Phillips chose Nick Sandmann. I think he would have targeted anyone but maybe it was because Nick Sandmann had the courage to look this man in the face and he tried to diffuse the situation by not reacting. And by standing there respectfully.”

Hamlin said the boys’ main focus was on the March for Life and said the school has attended the event every year.

“We were not there for any other purpose other than to attend the peaceful March for Life which we did,” she added.

Hamlin said she didn’t want to repeat the insults that were hurled at the boys, but claimed agitators began screaming at them which prompted the students to start up a cheer so they could drown the insults out.

“We were standing there and we looked and all of a sudden they turned their attention to our group and they were screaming horrible, horrible things that I will not repeat to our children — To children. Not adults. They were screaming them at children,” she said. “This continued. And the boys asked if they could do one of their school cheers because they wanted to drown out the hatred that was being said to them. And one of our teachers said it was okay for them to do their cheer. We wanted to drown out the hate.”

Hamlin also chastised the diocese and school for jumping to conclusions and form promising an investigation that could end in expulsion.

“I don’t know why they jumped to make a statement,” she said. “And as a parent and as a Catholic person that has supported our diocese, I am very, very disheartened and saddened that they rushed to judgment by not supporting one of their own schools and their own people and the diocese. And I do not believe the school made that statement … I believe it was made by the diocese.”