School Requires Permission Slips to Recite Pledge of Allegiance

[red states rule]

Is anyone surprised at this? Is anyone outraged?




A Brookline public school is bringing back the Pledge of Allegiance next month — and the principal is asking parents to fill out permission slips before their children participate.

“It’s uncomfortable. The pledge is a promise, and I’ve always taught my kids to think very carefully before making any promise. It’s not a decision I want to make for them,” said Judi Puritz Cook, who has two sons at the Devotion School.

On Monday, Devotion Principal Gerardo J. Martinez sent a letter to parents telling them that the school would begin weekly recitations next month of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag that he’d lead over the public address system.

He said teachers and students can’t be mandated to participate in the pledge under the Constitution, and called it a personal choice to participate.

“I urge you to have a conversation as a family to help your children understand why I will be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and to support them in feeling comfortable and confident in the decision on whether or not to participate,” Martinez said in the letter.

But Sarah Wunsch, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union in Boston, said she hasn’t heard of another school using permission slips to handle the pledge.

“It suggests that this is a decision for parents alone. Are they going to enforce that?” asked Wunsch, calling the use of permission slips “really strange.”

She said that the permission slip raises the issue of what would the schools do if a student’s wishes differ from his or her parents.

“I think that’s really strange that they’d do that… even children don’t lose their right of expression simply by walking into a schoolhouse’s doors,” said Wunsch, herself a Brookline resident.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/brookline/news/x1682028747/Brookline-public-school-issues-permission-slips-for-students-to-say-Pledge-of-Allegiance

[Jeff]

Is anyone surprised at this? Is anyone outraged?

WOW

Welcome to the new America

[Kathianne]

Again the reason this is news is that it's an anomaly. I've been in at least 12 schools in the past 3 months, taught in one over 11 years, taught in many other schools for 2 years before that. In every one, pledge was recited. If students didn't care to, they could remain sitting or stand without reciting. If they caused/cause a problem, they are in serious trouble.

I've not been in 1 classroom that doesn't display the flag.

I'm not saying not to be concerned, but when all that is published are the news stories about those that are out of the mainstream, it can seem like there's a big problem where there's not.

[Noir]

Don't see why the parents need to be involved, it's the kids choice and theirs alone.

[BoogyMan]

Is there some way we can expell Massachussetts from the republic? When I was a kid we recited the pledge daily. It would be interesting to see how many of those kids actually know and could recite the pledge. Grrrrr

After reading this I think I will change the new mood indicator to some semblance of ticked off.



Link (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/22/massachusetts-school-issues-permission-slips-pledge-allegiance/)

The principal of a public school in Brookline, Mass., is asking parents to fill out permission slips before their children can participate in a weekly recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Gerardo Martinez, the principal of The Devotion School, informed parents that the school would begin reciting the pledge in January over the public address system.

Attached to the letter was a form that asked parents to check either: "Yes, my child will participate in the weekly Pledge of Allegiance" or "No, my child will not participate in the weekly Pledge of Allegiance."

"I urge you to have a conversation as a family to help your children understand why I will be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and to support them in feeling comfortable and confident in the decision on whether or not to participate," Martinez wrote in the letter.

.: Read the rest of this article :. (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/22/massachusetts-school-issues-permission-slips-pledge-allegiance/)

[Kathianne]

Is there some way we can expell Massachussetts from the republic? When I was a kid we recited the pledge daily. It would be interesting to see how many of those kids actually know and could recite the pledge. Grrrrr

After reading this I think I will change the new mood indicator to some semblance of ticked off.

Merging this with other thread.

[BoogyMan]

I wish I could be as optimistic as you about things like this happening, but I simply cannot. The reason these things get reported is that they are happening with an ever increasing frequency today. Such actions are brought about because many people in America today seem unable to relate to our history and our ever diminishing culture.

It is a distressing twist in the collective consciousness of our country and things like this seem to be disproportionately frequent in Massachussetts.


Again the reason this is news is that it's an anomaly. I've been in at least 12 schools in the past 3 months, taught in one over 11 years, taught in many other schools for 2 years before that. In every one, pledge was recited. If students didn't care to, they could remain sitting or stand without reciting. If they caused/cause a problem, they are in serious trouble.

I've not been in 1 classroom that doesn't display the flag.

I'm not saying not to be concerned, but when all that is published are the news stories about those that are out of the mainstream, it can seem like there's a big problem where there's not.

[Kathianne]

I wish I could be as optimistic as you about things like this happening, but I simply cannot. The reason these things get reported is that they are happening with an ever increasing frequency today. Such actions are brought about because many people in America today seem unable to relate to our history and our ever diminishing culture.

It is a distressing twist in the collective consciousness of our country and things like this seem to be disproportionately frequent in Massachussetts.

Quite a few of us have kids in school or are in schools frequently. I just haven't had this experience or any of the 'outrageous' incidents cited in the past few years, in any of the public schools I've been involved with over the years. 5 cities/suburbs. 6 high schools, 7 middle schools, 4 grammar schools.

[BoogyMan]

Quite a few of us have kids in school or are in schools frequently. I just haven't had this experience or any of the 'outrageous' incidents cited in the past few years, in any of the public schools I've been involved with over the years. 5 cities/suburbs. 6 high schools, 7 middle schools, 4 grammar schools.

You may not be in an area of the country where such attitudes are prevalent, Kathianne.

[Kathianne]

You may not be in an area of the country where such attitudes are prevalent, Kathianne.

Not on East or West Coast.

Take a look at what the article says; obvious the problem would be principal and superintendent. Likely they reflect their community.

[BoogyMan]

Not on East or West Coast.

Take a look at what the article says; obvious the problem would be principal and superintendent. Likely they reflect their community.

Are you actually claiming that this kind of thing isn't happening with greater frequency?

Massachussetts certainly gerates more than its share of this genre of loony activity.

[Kathianne]

Are you actually claiming that this kind of thing isn't happening with greater frequency?

Massachussetts certainly gerates more than its share of this genre of loony activity.

Certainly it is, in areas that are regular loony bins. Again, when it's dog bites man, it won't be news.

[red states rule]

Common sense wins out




BROOKLINE (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - A Brookline school is now saying permission slips won’t be necessary for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Edward Devotion School, which has not recited the Pledge of Allegiance in seven years, will say the Pledge over the school's intercom once a week beginning next month.

Gerardo Martinez, the school's principal, initially said the permission slips were sent to encourage parents to have a discussion with their kids about the Pledge.

The principal also says he sent this note out to parents just to let them know it was okay if they do not want their kids to participate.

Unfortunately for the principal, the thought of a permission slip to recite the Pledge set off a fire storm. Eventually the principal sent out a second note to parents explaining that it was not mandatory to sign the permission slips

http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/local/school-sends-home-permission-slips-for-pledge-of-allegiance-20101222

[Abbey Marie]

I'd say the damage was already done as soon as these students heard about the permission slips. Not requiring the slips now, is too little too late.

Re Kathianne's and Boogeyman's points: I don't know how common such outrageous decisions are, but I do know that they are more common than in the past. And that is enough to concern me.

What will we have left once today's kids are the adults? They will be so afraid of believing in or standing for anything, they will probably roll over and give the country away to the first foreign power that asks nicely. I fear for the future.

[red states rule]

What will we have left once today's kids are the adults? They will be so afraid of believing in or standing for anything, they will probably roll over and give the country away to the first foreign power that asks nicely. I fear for the future.

In onter words, they are being trained and conditioned to be liberals

That is one good reason to stand up and speak out against polices