Since When Did Our Schoolchildren Have to Hide in the School Attics To Recite Our Pledge?
terribly early in the morning on Sunday, the 16th of November 2008 by Katie
In the heart of Lib-Land. Vermont.
“No one’s sure when daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance fell by the wayside at Woodbury Elementary School.
“But efforts to restore them have erupted into a bitter dispute in this tiny (pop. 810) Vermont town, with school officials blocking the exercise from classrooms amid concerns that it holds nonparticipating children up to scorn.”
Yes, once again, we can’t have students who choose not to participate in the Pledge “stand out” in the crowd of students who choose to recite it. So, in our “feel good” mentality, obviously no one should say it, just so everyone feels good about themselves. How ridiculous is that?
“The brouhaha in the Vermont school began in September, when parent Ted Tedesco began circulating petitions calling for its return as a daily practice in the 19th-century schoolhouse, which has 55 children in grades kindergarten through six.
“School officials agreed to resume the pledge as a daily exercise, but not in the classroom.
“We don’t want to isolate children every day in their own classroom, or make them feel they’re different,” said Principal Michaela Martin.”
No, we don’t want anyone to “feel they’re different”. Give me a break. Oh, did I forget to mention that Ted Tedesco is a retired U.S. Marine Corps major? So, the issue is important to him. He wants his children educated and taught to respect their country and its values.
The school’s solution?
“Instead, starting last week, a sixth grade student was assigned to go around to the four classrooms before classes started, gathering up anyone who wanted to say it and then walking them up creaky wooden steps to a second-floor gymnasium, where he led them in the pledge.
About half the students chose to participate, according to Martin.”
May I first applaud the half of the students who chose to participate? They were removed from their classrooms, during a “free play” time before class started. So, it took real dedication on the part of those kids.
But where are we as a country if our own children have to leave their classes and recite our Pledge of Allegiance in a separate room? Why do we strive to bring ourselves down to the lowest common denominator, instead of trying to raise ourselves to the highest?
If we want to use the “educator’s” argument - why should the Pledge participants be isolated every day in their own classroom and made to feel they’re different?
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November 17th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
The bigger question is, where are we as a country when people and children are offended by our own flag? Used to be that people were offended by other flags from countries such as the U.S.S.R, Iran, China, etc.
Now, they proudly wave the Mexican flag, the Palestinian flag, Chinese flag and yes, even the red Hammer and Sickle flag of the former Soviet Union and claim that Old Glory is an embarrassment and a symbol of oppression, racism, and so many other horrible lies.
Then again, there are a growing number of people that are actually offended just by the mere thought of God. When God becomes offensive along with the flag of your own country, what else is there? The numbers grow daily to where we now have an elected President who does not feel it necessary to wear a flag on his lapel, and refuses to salute the flag out of fear of offending someone.
November 17th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Schools have gone out of their way to teach our children the “evils” that our forefathers perpetrated. It is amazing that our country is treated so disrespectfully by the very people that profit from it.
I was amazed when I sat in a 1st grade classroom last week. First, I was able to admire the artwork of the students, who had lovely pictures of the “peaceful” Aztecs being bombed by the evil and greedy Spaniards (the pictures were accompanied by essays, so the greedy and evil and bombs were actually the 1st grader’s words, not mine). Then, I was treated to the lecture on Roanoke Island. It was then that I learned that the first settlers disappeared because they were “rude” to the Indians. (No Virginia Dare in the lecture, which as the first European babe born in North America, she used to warrant a mention).
Our school system is failing to teach our children to have a sense of pride in their nation. While they now highlight some of the shameful parts of our history, the utterly fail to educate our children about the vastly more significant good points of our country.
Obama not wearing the flag pin - frankly, I was OK with that. But, let me explain. I do not believe that he actually has any pride in his country. If he wore the pin, it would only be “for show”. I don’t want him to sully the flag like that.
Regarding the growing number of people offended by the mention of God -
John Adams - “We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” –October 11, 1798
The Constitution gives people the freedom of religion, not from religion. I never understand why people actually get offended by a Christmas tree, or even just the word Christmas. I have never been offended by a minorah. If someone wishes you a Merry Christmas, and you don’t celebrate Christmas, accept is in the spirit it was intended - well wishes. Don’t jump down the throat of the well wisher.
November 27th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the support. I just opened a blog on the fight to return the Pledge to the classroom in Woodbury, Vermont. You will find community contact informtion and more truth posted at my blog. Best wishes, Ted.
December 7th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Don’t forget to check out the pro Pledge blog at:
SaveThePledgeOfAllegiance.blogspot.com
Semper Fidelis,
Ted Tedesco
USMC (Retired)