Some Players Take A Knee At High School Football Game

OAK PARK, Ill. (CBS) – The "take a knee" movement continues to spread, including to Chicago area high school football games.

Case in point: the matchup between Oak Park and River Forest High School and Downers Grove North on Friday night.

While most Oak Park and River Forest players stood, at least 20 took a knee. They're following the example of NFL players who have protested during the national anthem.

The school principal, who supported the players, read a statement he sent home to parents saying the students were expressing their First Amendment rights and were choosing to take "a stance on racial injustice happening throughout the country."

Fans from Oak Park and River Forest as well as those from Downers Grove North had strong, mixed opinions about Friday night's demonstration.

"If people are kneeling because they don't feel they have the rights they should have -- we should let them kneel," Downers Grove student Michelle Sante countered.

"You ask any one of those people, probably four out of of the people that were kneeling know anything that's going on -- it's just a fad," Downers Grove parent Jeff Carr said.

OPRF parent Rod Christmon had this to say: "It's a silent protest, and it's really not about the flag, it's not about the troops. It's really about the treatment of minorities in the United States, so I felt OK with the protest."

The students were allowed to kneel Friday, but OPRF's principal said it wasn't clear on whether that will be the case going forward.