Yesterday, I noticed this article on Yahoo News, about a high school student in Maryland who was sanctioned for refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegience at school. Because I went to high school in Maryland, I read the article. In order to find out more, I clicked on this link. When I noticed the words, "Montgomery County", I became a bit more interested, because I lived in Montgomery County as a child. Then, I noticed that the school was the very school from which I graduated. My jaw dropped in shock, because back in my day, anyone who said the Pledge of Allegience would have been suspected of indulging in hallucinagens. Not that anyone was disloyal, or ungrateful for where we lived, but no one at my high school forced anyone to recite anything that even remotely resembled a religious prayer or chant. Apparently, my old school has changed, and not for the better.
The biggest complaint most well educated people have with the Pledge of Allegience is the "One nation under 'God' " part. While I agree with the offense thereby taken, the reason I taught my own children not to recite it has to do with the ending of it........"with liberty, and justice for all". To me, that part of the Pledge is nothing short of a giant sham and lie, as we do not have, support, or even attempt liberty and justice for ALL in this country. Why pretend that we do? We are still a great country, but I do not see the need to encourage my children to believe that we have attained a level of greatness and benevolence that we actually have not attained......so my children do not have to recite the Pledge of Allegience at any school they attend.
The student who was punished and publicly humiliated in Maryland got the American Civil Liberties Union involved in her case, and they have written the school a "cease and desist" letter. The administrator and faculty would be wise to heed it. While we are on the subject of constitutional rights, here is another disturbing case, from Florida. The father of a fourth grader found the beginnings of an essay in the little boy's backpack. The teacher had assigned an essay on this subject:
The biggest complaint most well educated people have with the Pledge of Allegience is the "One nation under 'God' " part. While I agree with the offense thereby taken, the reason I taught my own children not to recite it has to do with the ending of it........"with liberty, and justice for all". To me, that part of the Pledge is nothing short of a giant sham and lie, as we do not have, support, or even attempt liberty and justice for ALL in this country. Why pretend that we do? We are still a great country, but I do not see the need to encourage my children to believe that we have attained a level of greatness and benevolence that we actually have not attained......so my children do not have to recite the Pledge of Allegience at any school they attend.
The student who was punished and publicly humiliated in Maryland got the American Civil Liberties Union involved in her case, and they have written the school a "cease and desist" letter. The administrator and faculty would be wise to heed it. While we are on the subject of constitutional rights, here is another disturbing case, from Florida. The father of a fourth grader found the beginnings of an essay in the little boy's backpack. The teacher had assigned an essay on this subject:
And to that, Benjamin Franklin had this to say: “He who would trade liberty for some temporary security, deserves neither liberty nor security.”
That little boy is now home schooled. Thank the Gods his father was paying attention. Hopefully, more parents will open their eyes.
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