well one could make the case that the ideals and principles are flawed seeing as it gives us a runaway state, but that's another issue i suppose. the sacrifice of soldiers certainly deserves honor, but this pledge does them no honor imo. anyhow, no one should be forced to recite this in public schools. private institutions can do what they choose, but public schools have no business indoctrinating children with central state worship.
I would actually expect that the state to enforce public schools to recite the pledge with it being a government facility. Whether that's right or wrong just simply depends on the mentality of an individual. Very few if any ideals created by man will not be flawed simply because it was created by man. We can only hope to look at the past as a template to make the future a better place then what it could be. Unfortunately,and I'm sure you agree on this,this country has become corrupted my politicians and media alike. And it doesn't help that we have people who are politically religious. And by that I mean that their side is absolutely correct and that anything else is wrong. Either the democrat or republican party is god to these people and nothing can change their mind. That's why I pledge to a set of ideals instead of people. An idea, while flawed, can still be a basis for great things. It all depends on how you want to represent those ideals.
While most of your rights as a student are limited, you do have some freedom. Teachers cannot force a student to say the pledge. You are, however, expected to stand and remain quiet as a sign of respect to the people choose to say the pledge. If you were in a religious setting, you wouldn't be texting/talking/etc. while people of that religion were praying, would you? It's kind of the same concept- you don't have to say it (implying that you believe in it), but you should be respectful of those who do. Don't be a jerk about it, you know? I have no idea if you were or not- I wasn't there. All I'm saying is that might be where your problem lies- the teacher probably saw it as disrespectful or insubordination or something like that. At any rate, they cannot make you say the pledge. It's unconstitutional. I think there was a Supreme Court Case about this, but I'm not sure...anyway, if I were you, I'd be raising hell.
1. I'm waiting to see if there's anyone who buys this story 2. If it would take you that long to figure that out, you have no business in high school.
A good percentage of these students in public schools don't even belong in this country. I want to force them to say their own country's pledge of allegiance, starting by sending them back there.
Your little 'buddy' should be fired for having students recite "one nation under government". He's supposed to teach that this a government for the people and by the people. Government UNDER the people, not a nation under a government. Both of you should be booted out of this country.
I don't care who buys it. That's what we were required to say. If I was taught my entire life that's how it was said, how exactly would I know it was different? where else but in school do people say the pledge of allegiance? it's not like the national anthem.
Congratulations. You learned that when you poke your finger in someone's eye you can get in trouble. It was 1953 when I decided I wouldn't say either the Lord's Prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and I quit singing Dixie at school sporting events. It was loads more fun, for me, to get in trouble over it than it would have been for no one to notice it.
Blindly pledging to nationalism via the pledge without the concept of realizing what you are doing runs counter to true patriotism, it seems to me. If we close our eyes and simply follow then your rights are without meaning. Rights need to be protected by questioning and watching what the government. ...."all enemies domestic and foreign...." is doing. Or so it seems to me.
We should drop the 'indivisible' part. If America wanted to break up it's States like the Soviets did, then we should be allowed to.
If you think forced allegiance appropriate then you don't understand the first thing about this country.
You wouldn't have gotten even a raised eyebrow from me, even though I recite the pledge loudly & proudly. I have suggested to one student who brought up this same issue that to say the pledge and simply staying silent for the 'under God' part harms no one, and allows him to show his patriotism without compromising his religious principles.
The teacher is a bigot and it seems so are you, one that needs to wear their patriotism on their sleeve, but probably when it comes down to do something for the nation you are still reciting the pledge.
For a long time, I did that. I got weird stares, because nobody gives a crap. It's weird how it's not a law, but people treat it as a law.
Of course, why wouldn't it be? I celebrate our freedoms and support them whenever and wherever I can. What I don't tolerate is talking during the pledge or the moment of silence that we observe immediately following the pledge. If anyone questions this, I explain that it's about respecting me and their fellow students - showing that same respect that I demand that other students show to them.
I remember being little and being forced to stand for the pledge, but never forced to actually say it... Actually foreign kids were excused from putting their hands on their heart (sound like Obama? lol jk). When I got to high school, it depended on the teachers. More liberal teachers didn't care. And if you are in school, I don't think it should matter, some kids stand, some kids say it, some just don't care, and thats their right, they didn't choose what country they were born in.
This reminds me of a book I read, about 4 years ago. It took place in the 1970's, and an english teacher is getting fired, because she did not stand up for the pledge. In the end, the main charcter tries to convince the school board to let the teacher stay, but the teacher is fired in the end. It was a good read.
