Our school does the pledge. Now.. not all kids stand. And there is no law that insists they should. We cannot enforce anything. I try some psychology, but I have to be careful. And it doesn’t mean I get positive results. In the end, the student makes his/her choice. Still, it does seem ridiculous when a middle school student takes a “political stance.” In the end, all I ask is for the student to stand. No need to say the pledge. We all need to know how to respect. With the African-Americans, I tell them that the Civil Rights Movement - for which they get Martin Luther King Day - had so many sacrifice for the respect and rights they have now. If they choose to diss what we have, they are trashing what those before them fought for. With the Latino kids, I bring up the whole immigrant issue - albeit in a subtle manner. I tell them to consider why they are here. What their parents had to sacrifice. I mention that those who truly hate it here to consider returning to their familys country of origin if they are so anti-USA. After all, they do have access to another country. (I had some “valley girls” who would go all blasé and nasty about the US. When I mentioned to them that in their countries of origin, folks eat guinea pigs and iguanas, they noted that others in the class had no patience with them. Again, I really work hard at being subtle.) For the Cuban students, I don’t have to say much, since they know what has been sacrificed in their families. The hatred to Cuba’s current regime is alive and strong. Now, if they are of Puerto Rican descent, I can go to town, since this is my heritage. And please note that not all PR folks who live in the US have actually been to PR. They would be treated as foreigners there. I bring up the fact that PR is an American country, yet there are anti-American factions on the island. That these anti-Americans truly want to recruit them. They want anyone who hates the USA. That usually they meet up in anti-American countries so as to plan (Cuba, anyone?) But that they better make sure they do not receive American benefits (Medicaid, Medicare, Welfare, etc.) to be considered truly anti-American. Now, there is not much White, non-Latino student. I do bring up the immigration issues and how the Irish were treated like dirt, etc. But for a White child to refuse to stand up, well….there is not much I can say that can come across All in all…I gotta say it’s not about the schools not having the pledge, it’s about the students’ attitude. As an Army Brat, I can say that I learned that during the pledge, you are supposed to stop where you are and stand still. Folks make a big issue about whether or not the school does the pledge. I wish they would come to the schools and see how the students behave during it!
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 11:50:09 +0000
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