ESM student: Teacher berated me for sitting for Pledge of Allegiance

[Goblinmonger]

114. I teach high school, too.

There are a great many students who think teachers "hate" them for silly stupid reasons. Many of them have a very low emotional IQ. Many of them think teachers are just part of the system and are out to get them. You said above that your school treats the Pledge as a prayer and you do what you do because you don't want to be seen as someone who isn't modeling the right behavior. Are you now telling me that even though you are feeling the pressure of the school and giving in to it, these high school kids are going to being able to have you "ask" them to stand but they are not going to give into the same pressure that you are? Seems to me like they may think you are just another one of the people that sees the Pledge as a prayer and they will stand because if they don't, you will find a way to punish them--exactly like you are thinking the school district will find a way to punish you if you don't "ask" the students to stand.

I get it. You teach in a shitty district in this regard. But if you are giving in to the pressures are you seriously thinking the kids won't? Let them exercise their free speech.