I'm upset at a fellow teacher - Re: Pledge of Allegiance.

[ChoralScholar]

There was a girl in my first period class this morning who was working on an assignment during rehearsal. She told me she had to get it done for a teacher. Come to find out, she didn't stand during the Pledge of Allegiance, so the teacher gave her a three page report to do on the history of the flag and of the pledge.

If you force kids to stand and say the pledge, and they only do it because you tell them to - what have you accomplished?
It's been to the Supreme Court - forcing a student to say the pledge is indefensible. (West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette - 319 US 624, and Minersville School District v. Gobitis - 310 US 586) Both cases cite religious objection, but I really don't feel like the reason matters.

I think she should pursue legal action. I know many other teachers at my school do this same thing, forcing kids to stand, hand over heart, and say the pledge.

In my class, as it is said over our intercom each morning, those of us who feel compelled to do it, do. Those who don't, sit. There's never a big deal made. I do require them to be quiet out of respect for those who are saying the pledge - I don't feel that's unreasonable.

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. Perhaps there should be a class-action suit (NPI)

against schools in general for just being incredibly stupid.


PORTSMOUTH - School officials violated a Portsmouth High School student's constitutional rights by rejecting his senior yearbook portrait on the grounds that it violates the school's "zero tolerance" weapons policy, according to a lawsuit filed Monday by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island.

The student, Patrick Agin, is a member of the Society of Creative Anachronism and is wearing a medieval-style chain mail coat and holding a prop broadsword in his senior portrait. Portsmouth High School Principal Robert Littlefield banned the photo over the objections of Agin and his mother, Heidi Farrington.



http://www.newportdailynews.com/articles/2006/12/13/news/news1.txt

[xmas74]

4. That's a silly rule.

The school should banned that it from the yearbook because they knew if they published the pic the kid would get his ass kicked, not for a zero tolerance rule.

No one told me about any rules over not kicking geek ass when I was in high school.

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. I wouldn't attempt an ass-kicking

on a kid who knows how to handle a broadsword.

[xmas74]

8. But he can't take it to school.

Believe me, they can do all the Ren Fest stuff they want and they still get stuffed in lockers. Or in the dumpster behind the cafeteria. Or in the lake of raw sewage.

If you're a nerd, a geek or a dork in high school you can be an expert swordsman, a black belt in a martial art, a sharp shooter, etc and you will still get your ass handed to you on a platter. If you don't then you are living in a John Hughes movie.

//as said by a former high school geek

[Left Is Write]

11. If he's that big a geek, his senior picture in the yearbook would make no difference.

It wouldn't cause people suddenly to view him as a geek.

[xmas74]

16. No

but it would give them more ammo to taunt and tease him. And when it comes down to it high school kids don't need any more ammo.

[Left Is Write]

18. No, they don't - but if the kid chose to wear that get-up for his picture, and

he WANTS it in the yearbook, I'd guess he's not worried about appearing like a geek in it.

[BikeWriter]

2. Dare I say the teacher is a fanatical fascist bastid?

[tigereye]

3. the pledge was pushed by a company that sold flags in the 50s

it's not as if the founders required it.

I agree with you. Why make a fuss. :shrug:

[matcom]

5. that REPORT should SPEAK for ITSELF

surely that REPORT will include the REAL reason for the Pledge (circa 1954) and the FREAKS who insisted on it!

right?

PLEASE tell me that report will contain the McCarthy TRUTH!

[skygazer]

14. Oh, that would be rich

Sometimes I wish something like that had happened to one of my kids so we could have drafted a devastating report.

I hope the kid actually researches it properly.

[Left Is Write]

7. My daughter just told me yesterday that when she was still in high school

(She graduated in May 2005), she and her friend were forced to stand during the Pledge. They refused to say it, but were told they had to stand because other students were complaining that sitting was showing a lack of respect.

[Oeditpus Rex]

9. Did they also have to

assume a "respectful" posture and demeanor and just an overall air of reverence?

:eyes:

[Left Is Write]

10. No, I think they just had to stand. But that's bad enough -

they were forced to stand based on the complaints of other students? What about their own rights?

It's too late for me to do anything about it now.

[Oeditpus Rex]

13. About that particular issue, yes

But this song will keep playing.

My point was, if others can demand standing out of respect, what other "respect" might they demand and be forcefully afforded?

What about their own rights, indeed.



Edit: Thinko.

[Ariana Celeste]

12. When I was in high school,

not all that long ago (3-4 yrs ago I dropped out) - I was threatened with detention and suspension for not pledging allegiance or standing up for the national anthem.

I still refused to stand, told them I didn't believe in it, and they still tried to bully me but I think one of the more sympathetic teachers talked to them or something because eventually they left me alone.

*Today* I would stand up by choice. And I completely agree with what you wrote- "If you force kids to stand and say the pledge, and they only do it because you tell them to - what have you accomplished?"

[Oeditpus Rex]

19. I gave it the Nazi bit one day

The teacher, who was a Mason (and for whom I had zero respect), came up to me afterward and said, "Knock that crap off in my class."

My moment of rebellion. :patriot:

Wish I'd known about this then:

[Ariana Celeste]

21. rofl

that's awesome!

[LaraMN]

15. Ohhhh. That pisses me off.

I've told my son (who's eight) that he does not have to say it unless he wants to. If anyone told him otherwise, I'd be in the principal's office so fast...

[ChoralScholar]

22. Good for you.

Now, I know this girl, and I have her in class - she is super lazy and disrespectful in general, but it is the principle of the issue. It's not up to us to go validate their reasons.

[HEyHEY]

17. Give her a new assignment - contacting the ACLU

[SeattleGirl]

20. Great idea, HeyHey

Except the assignment should go to the TEACHER.