It’s Not Disrespectful to Remain Seated During the Pledge of Allegiance

Source: www.patheos.com - Thursday, September 17, 2015
How many teachers and administrators still don’t understand how the Pledge of Allegiance works? No student has to say it or stand up for it, and not participating in the ritual doesn’t make you unpatriotic or disrespectful. And yet the stories of schools where kids get punished by ignorant teachers are all over the place. These cases are all in my inbox today: In California’s Lakewood High School : [A senior student] was threatened with punishment after she exercised her right to opt out of the Pledge. When the student’s father contacted the school’s assistant principal to resolve the issue, his concerns were not adequately addressed by the high school administration, which seemed to have no idea that the student’s rights had been violated. … … On Monday, September 14, after she remained seated during the recitation, she was confronted by her teacher, Mr. Gjonovich, who wanted to know why she was opting out. Even though she was under no obligation to explain her decision, the student respectfully told the teacher that she did not believe in pledging and was exercising her right not to do so. Nevertheless, the teacher told the student that her decision was “disrespectful” and told her that she must stand in the future . In Delaware’s Delcastle Technical High School : This year, when the student quietly remained seated for the Pledge, his teacher, Amy Dunn, insisted he stand up for the Pledge and when he refused, she demanded that

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