It is a hollow affirmation that must be compelled.
[UPDATE:]
I find it incredibly encouraging for our country when a young person, within a deeply authoritarian framework like our school system, shows the fortitude and courage to calmly assert their Constitutional rights. Moreso in our current national anti-dissent climate – a climate fostered by officials at the highest levels of our government.
A parent must be doing something right when their child has both the strength of their convictions to stand firm and the poise, even when emotionally assailed, to do so without rancor or upset.
As encouraging? Finding leaders within our local school system who recognize the importance of strengthening our country’s next generation’s ability to respectfully stand firm on principle and create an environment cultivating that courage.
To Encourage the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and to Encourage the Recitation of the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance. – Local boards of education are encouraged to adopt policies to (i) provide for the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, (ii) provide the opportunity for students to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.
NC G.S.115C-47.29A (2006) as ratified July 12th and approved July 19th, 2006:
To
EncourageRequire the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and toEncourageRequire the Recitation of the Pledgeor Oathof Allegiance. – Local boards of educationare encouraged toshall adopt policies to (i)provide forrequire the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, when available, (ii)provide the opportunity for students to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis,require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.
So, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is required but participation, in line with the Supreme Court’s reversal of previous precedent in 1943’s WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION v. BARNETTE, 319 U.S. 624 (1943), cannot be compelled.
One hopes that distinction is clearly drawn among those reciters within our local school district who might be tempted, in a pique of conformist zeal, to force faux patriotism.
I thought you might be interested in http://www.undergodprocon.org. It is the nets biggest resource on the Pledge issue which looks extensively at the legal aspects and the coercion debate.
“So, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance is required”
This is and untrue statement. The copy of the GS displayed on this page has omitted the main head of the statute for which this subsection falls under and shows the true meaning of the statute:
“In addition to the powers and duties designated in G.S. 115C‑36, local boards of education shall have the power or duty:
(29a) To Require the Display of the United States and North Carolina Flags, and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to (i) require the display of the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom, when available, (ii) require that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance be scheduled on a daily basis, and (iii) provide age‑appropriate instruction on the meaning and historical origins of the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance. These policies shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag, or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. If flags are donated or are otherwise available, flags shall be displayed in each classroom.”
This empowers the local school boards to require display an recitation of oath/allegiance as a daily routine in its schools, but still does not force individuals to perform the routine.
You paint a distorted in this site.
Actually, I think I was pretty clear that group recitation in and of itself can be a very compelling reason.
This post is based on a real incident involving a local citizen’s child who had “both the strength of their convictions to stand firm and the poise, even when emotionally assailed, to do so without rancor or upset.”
The teacher he was dealing with hit the wall when the student tried to exercise his right to not make the pledge (because of the “God” clause, I believe). Very serious threats were made against the child – totally unacceptable in the land of the free.
I’ll stick by what I originally said “It is a hollow affirmation that must be compelled.”