Kickboxing Instructor Fired for Sitting During National Anthem

Tyler Chancellor says he was fired from his job at a kickboxing gym for sitting during the national anthem at the circus.

A Tennessee man says he was fired from his job at a kickboxing gym after he sat during the national anthem at a work outing. 

Tyler Chancellor, an employee at 9Round kickboxing gym outside Chattanooga who was training to become a coach, attended a kickboxing event sponsored by the gym on Saturday and stayed in his seat during the performance of the anthem. He told local ABC affiliate WTVC that he hadn’t been present for a public playing of the anthem since Donald Trump took aim at NFL players for their peaceful protests, and that several other minorities in the crowd also remained seated during the anthem.

No one batted an eye that night, Chancellor said, but he was told when he got to work on Monday that he was fired. 

The owner of the gym told WTVC that he is a supporter of the military and first responders and found Chancellor’s actions disrespectful. Tennessee law allows employers to fire employees for any reason. 

On the same day Chancellor sat, a Division III football player in Pennsylvania, Gyree Durante, kneeled during the anthem before a game and was kicked off the team.