Massachusetts Principal Sends Home Permission Slip For Students to Recite Pledge of Allegiance … This is Still America?

 

This is still America, is it not?

The Edward Devotion School, a Brookline, Massachusettes school initially sent a permission notes home to parents for their children to opt out of the “pledge of alligiance”. Reciting the pledge to the country where you are a citizen of andf are going to school is potentially offensive? Really? Why are we not shocked that this occured in the deep blue state of Massachusetts. At least they didn’t arrest any one for drawing a US flag with a Sharpie, that we know of.

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.

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

 

School sends home permission slips for Pledge of Allegiance: MyFoxBOSTON.com

This is the original letter sent to parents earlier this week by princiapl Gerardo Martinez :

Dear Devotion Families,

Many of you are aware that Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 69, requires a flag to be displayed in each school classroom. This law also requires classes to be lead in a group recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Public Schools of Brookline policy provides that this recitation may take place weekly.

Additionally, as part of that Massachusetts History/Social Science frameworks and the Brookline Learning Expectations (BLE) there is a learning objective that students be able to “Demonstrate understanding that there are important American symbols by identifying … the words of the Pledge of Allegiance.”

In order to meet the state legal mandate for public schools and to support our learning expectations, I will, once a week, as part of my morning announcements, recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Classroom teachers, as with any announcement, will bring the class to silence. Students and teachers may choose to stand and recite the pledge but are not legally required to do so.

Under our Constitution, neither teachers nor students can be mandated to participate in this exercise. This is each person’s personal choice. 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.

Whatever decision you and your child make will be fully respected. Please fill out the section below and return to your child’s homeroom teacher. I anticipate that we will begin recitation of the Pledge after the New Year.

On a personal note, I am proud to be a first generation Cuban American and I appreciate the opportunities my family has found in our great nation.



If you liked this post, you may also like these:

  • Massachusetts School Kids Now “Allowed” to Say Pledge of Allegiance
  • Patriotic School Children: 77% Say Children Should Say Pledge At School Every Day and Say “Under God”
  • People’s Republic of Vermont: Pledge of Allegiance Controversy in Woodbury Elementary School in Vermont
  • The Pledge of Allegiance is Unconstitutional again.
  • Red Skelton, an American Hero … Pledge of Allegiance




  • Comments

    5 Responses to “Massachusetts Principal Sends Home Permission Slip For Students to Recite Pledge of Allegiance … This is Still America?”

    1. Greg on December 24th, 2010 11:25 am

      The letter/form sent home displayed above isn’t complete; where is the section that was to be returned?

    2. yoyo muffintop on December 24th, 2010 12:28 pm

      Haha – What happened? Couldn’t find a good “War on Christmas” story?

      A principal who asks permission before she or he forces a child to swear to something with hand over heart? Sounds like a principal who is not interested in indoctrinating a child or feeding him or her with propaganda. Sounds like a principal who respects the family and THEIR input in education. Sounds like someone who would not want a GOVERNMENT-run institution to tell children what they should believe. Sounds like a principal who knows that is the job of the parent. Sounds fairly “conservative” to me.

      Funny how the right wing only remembers their belief in smaller government when it comes to failing to do Jesus’ bidding to feed and clothe the poor.
      BUT…..when it comes to telling people how they should behave in their bedrooms, to whom they should pray, and generally to live their lives, they are all for Big Brother breathing down our necks.

      Forcing a blind loyalty oath on children is anti-freedom. Patriotism should be earned, not given because of saying words every morning.
      ___________
      SM: Once again YOYO you have shown yourself to be a fool. I wish you a Merry Christmas, God gave his only son for your sins as well.
      R

    3. LynneinMd. on December 25th, 2010 11:55 pm

      Yoyo,

      How does one “earn” patriotism?
      You make absolutely no sense
      Patriotism is a deep feeling of love for your country and if you are here in America, lucky you……..

    4. Michelle Smith on December 26th, 2010 5:01 pm

      #3

      If you haven’t been around here much you may not know that YoYo is just a clueless liberal with a bad attitude.

      My best advice is to ignore him.

    5. LynneinMd. on December 26th, 2010 7:19 pm

      Michelle,
      okey dokey

      P.S. I hate liberals.

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