Reply #180: Not forced; merely coerced.

[kimchi]

I attended school in VA. Only one person was "allowed" to not participate; and he was Jewish, and this was after his parents made a big stink. There may have been a permission slip that I don't remember, but no teacher ever said we had an option to not participate. Also--this was ON school grounds, taught by a regular teacher. Early 70s. Another year it was moved to a school bus, but still parked on school property.

I doubt it has changed a lot since then. I just had my 20 year reunion and was amazed at how everyone still ASSUMES you think as they do. Best thing I ever did was to leave that damn town.