MI 8th grader didn't stand for the morning pledge

[Ninga]

of allegiance - was bullied by her teacher.

The teacher failed at teaching. The teacher instead voiced her opinion. Lost was a teachable moment in of all places, school.


https://www.wxyz.com/news/region/wayne-county/8th-grader-who-sat-for-pledge-of-allegiance-says-teacher-told-her-you-should-go-back-to-your-country

[GreenWave]

1. Here is an alternate one that blends in well.

I plead alignment to the flakes of the untitled snakes of a merry cow and to the republicans for which they scam: one nacho, underpants with licorice and jugs of wine for owls.”
― Matt Groening, The Big Book of Hell

[marble falls]

2. I signed on to protect the nation and the Constitution. Bless that young person for excercizing their rights ...

There were years I didn't stand for the pledge or the anthem. That was my right and privilege.

[Attilatheblond]

5. It was OK for kids in the Jehovah's Witnesses to pass on the pledge in school when I was young

Then, during Nixon, it would result in shunning. Amazing how Right Wing politics loves to limit/stigmatize that whole free speech thing.

[marble falls]

6. That's their trick: if they have us at each other, we won't be going at them. Pot stirring has served them well ...

... and then Mango Jebus and fElon Musk dropped the bottom out from under the MAGAs the last three weeks.

Marginalize PoC, Witnesses, the undocumented, women, the aged, the young, those in the gender diaspora, and nobody pays attention to the wealthy. We pick on each other, when we should be eating the rich.

[Easterncedar]

3. They insisted that I stand, and I did

But they couldn’t make me say it, when I was in elementary and junior high school in the late 60s and early 70s.

[marble falls]

7. I taught my kids to question authority and to resist, that I had their backs.

[Easterncedar]

11. My folks, too

Good for you!!

[Happy Hoosier]

12. They can't make you stand, either. That is forced speech. NT

[Easterncedar]

14. The staff also insisted we bow our heads

Before eating lunch in the public elementary school lunch room

These were the good old days

[Tetrachloride]

4. stand up and say it if you mean it

[hunter]

8. I never acknowledged the flag salute in school.

Usually I'd sit quietly reading or drawing spaceships.

My mom was a Jehovah's Witness until I was in the fourth grade when they kicked her out because she wouldn't stay out of politics. Then we were Quakers.

God hates it when you say the pledge...

I once was pointed out by a teacher as an example of religious freedom in the U.S.A. which only added to my aura of weirdness.

[stillcool]

9. like a single pebble thrown in the water

can't deny the ripple effect.

[Happy Hoosier]

10. My daughter refused to stand for the pledge all of High School.

She was protesting "under God" and the falsity "and justice for all."

One teacher gave her shit. The Principal corrected the techer and she didn't have an issue the remainder of her time there. Graduated with honors.

[Ping Tung]

13. "Flags are bits of colored cloth that governments use first to shrink-wrap people's minds

“Flags are bits of colored cloth that governments use first to shrink-wrap people’s minds & then as ceremonial shrouds to bury the dead.”

― Arundhati Roy

[Aristus]

15. I'm a veteran.

To hell with anyone who thinks forcing an American citizen to swear an oath that goes against their beliefs is somehow "honoring the troops."

I served for her right not to have to be forced to swear oaths of loyalty to the state.

[Solly Mack]

16. I hope they sue. Fuck that teacher and those who support that teacher.

[Ninga]

17. Agree.

[PlanetBev]

18. You raised your kid right

Be proud. You earned it.