A high school student in Orange County, California, claims he got suspended after another teen stole his “Make America Great Again” hat, leading to a heated political clash on campus.
Zach Hornstein, a student at Laguna Beach High School, wore the MAGA hat on September 11 along with some friends. They did it to honor Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, who was shot and killed at a college event in Utah the day before. “His death really hit us hard,” Hornstein told Fox News Digital. “I don’t agree with everything he says, but I respect how he pushes students to think critically, look at both sides, and have real talks. My mom’s an immigrant, and she raised me to love America. On 9/11, I just wanted to feel patriotic and support our country.”
Things escalated at the end of the school day when a female student grabbed Hornstein’s hat and tossed it into the girls’ bathroom trash. What followed was a tense argument where she reportedly used strong words about President Donald Trump, according to KTTV-TV, Fox 11 Los Angeles. Hornstein says the group eventually cooled off and moved on, but a teacher told him to file an incident report and ask for a written apology. In the end, the school suspended both students involved.
Hornstein calls the punishment “extremely upsetting,” especially since it disrupted his tough AP class schedule. “I still don’t get what I did wrong,” he said. During the spat, he joked, “If you don’t like America, Canada has open borders”—a line confirmed by witnesses, including the girl who took the hat.
Despite the drama, Hornstein and the other student are still friends. He thinks the school overreacted on an emotional day like 9/11. “She got suspended too, and she apologized later,” he explained. “We handled it in a healthy way. I wish the adults had shown the same maturity instead of stirring up more division.”
His mom, Janet Semenova, backs him up. An honor roll student with no prior discipline issues, Hornstein has never been in trouble before, she says. Semenova believes her son faced unfair treatment because of his political views. “It’s a double standard,” she told Fox 11. “Kids with certain beliefs get judged differently than others.”
The Laguna Beach Unified School District pushes back on claims of bias. In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson emphasized that they protect student privacy in discipline matters and value free expression. “Schools help young people handle different viewpoints with respect,” the statement read. “We’re committed to constructive dialogue that’s empathetic and civil. When issues pop up, we follow California law to review facts fairly.”
The district’s dress code doesn’t ban political clothing like MAGA hats, as long as it’s appropriate. Hornstein confirms students can wear gear with political messages without issue. Still, Semenova’s family plans to appeal the suspension to the school board. “We love this school and its teachers,” she said. “But we’re disappointed in how the administration managed this. They could have turned it into a teachable moment about empathy and tolerance—inspired by Charlie Kirk’s legacy—instead of adding to the divide.”
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