Last week, student Rosanel Quiroga told Panamá América about her sadness at not being able to carry the flag during the parades. The administration of José Antonio Remón Cantera College acknowledged that there was an error in not allowing student Rosanel Quiroga to carry the flag of Panama during the patriotic parades. The young graduate gets emotional when she talks about Panama, a country where she has spent half her life and already considers it her home. "I am very proud to be first place, as it was one of my goals to reach twelfth grade and be first place." She assured that despite being born in another country, she has spent half her life, 9 years, in Panama. She also expressed the pride she feels for holding the highest honors at the school where she studies, in her final year of high school. "It feels satisfying to have fulfilled what I promised myself so much," she reiterated. "Carrying the flag is a very beautiful feeling, a flag has a very important meaning for a country, and the fact of being first place, no one should take that away from you," Quiroga stated. Tania Aguirre, the acting director, offered apologies and admitted that there was an error. "It makes me a little sad that, despite my merits, they are minimized because this is not my country of origin." Quiroga would also like for students in her situation to have greater access to university scholarships. The teacher limited herself to that and added that there is an ongoing investigation, according to TVN's inquiries.
Student Denied Right to Carry Flag Due to Her Origin
A top student at a Panamanian college was barred from carrying the national flag in a parade because she was born abroad. The administration apologized, but the incident sparked public debate.
