The Pledge of Allegiance is a presence in many Amer.ican schools. But it is also a controversial one. Some see it as a way to show patriotism to the country. Others question the nature of the pledge. Imposing a loyalty oath on children who barely understand what their flag represents is a little too close to brainwashing for them. This is why it's understandable that a story like this would make such waves. One student refused to say the pledge. However, her teacher took personal offense, having recited the oath all her life. She scolded the student, raising criticism from the student's family.
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Deciding to take a stand, or rather a seat, against the current political direction the US is taking, Danielle Khalaf, 14, remained seated during the pledge of allegiance. "I decided I wanted to sit down because I didn't feel comfortable standing." She explained that it was "because of what's happening in Palestine."
As her sign of personal protest, she exercised her constitutional right to free speech. She chose not to pledge allegiance to a government she didn't agree with. However, her teacher took offense and berated the young woman instead of respecting that.
No Disciplinary Action for Teacher
According to the teen, her teacher allegedly said, "Since you live in this country and enjoy its freedom, if you don't like it, you should go back to your country." The student explained, "The teacher addressed the class and said that anyone that was sitting down was being very disrespectful to soldiers, to America."
But, the girl clearly didn't agree with the part of the pledge of allegiance highlighting that the republic was providing "liberty and justice for all." The teacher's words got to the young activist, and she tried to explain her thoughts but left in tears.
Since the incident, the teacher has admitted to the altercation. However, no action has been taken by the school, according to her father. Instead, it sounds like they're trying to punish the student.
"Their only solution was to put my daughter in a different class as opposed to doing anything with the teacher." He continued, "They wouldn't tell us what type of disciplinary action, if any, was taken."
Sadly, the young woman, when challenging the pledge of allegiance, was met with racism rather than logic. The teacher could have easily sat with the young woman and discussed her politics in a civil and constructive way. However, she lashed out instead.
