She should get a flag that has been damaged beyond repair and hold a flag retirement ceremony in public. She should have the ceremony taped and then turn it in. It’s certainly an exercise of free speech, and my guess is that on this college campus she’ll get a sufficient number of spectators who will show their opposition to a respectful treatment of the American flag that the tape will prove that this act was provocative.
Since most people don’t know that this is how to properly retire a flag, they’ll think she’s exercising her free speech rights as defined by that professor. She would have gotten an “A” for sure ...