If a teacher chooses not to say the pledge daily, do you think schools will have a problem with it, if the teacher stands respectfully? Does anyone have experience with this?
It is your legal right to decline reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. As long as you're being respectful and insisting upon the respects of others, you're beyond reproach. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette
I have no doubt it would be an issue to some degree here. But that doesn't mean the issues would be valid.
I don't remember doing the pledge everyday in High School...more of an elementary thing. Maybe I'm wrong...
I had a middle school teacher friend in my K-8 school that refused to say the pledge. It wasn't a big deal, until the special ed teacher in her room got upset with the kids who didn't stand up and didn't say it either. The sped teacher tried to tell them that they had to write an essay on the importance of the pledge or something, which obviously didn't go over well with my friend, who then told them they didn't have to do the assignment and had a pretty big blow out with the sped teacher. It became such an issue that they quit doing it over the PA all together.
I wouldn't think there would be any official problems with it. Might be some grumblings or assumptions made by coworkers though.
I started high school the week of 9/11...we said the pledge every single day. There were only a couple days before 9/11 so I don't remember if we did before that.
We have the Pledge at the beginning of the morning announcements, which air in the form of a news program. I stand along with the students and say most of the Pledge, although I do leave out part of it. Most of my students don't even notice. When they do and ask me about it, I simply tell them that I prefer not to say that part. They don't make a big deal about it since I don't. I certainly don't think that my school would have a problem with it. Even if they did, I'm allowed to say or not say the Pledge as I see fit.
My old school didn't do it everyday--we only did it for special assemblies so it wasn't a big deal if I didn't participate. I just got the schedule for my new school and we say the pledge everyday during announcements. I was thinking of maybe standing in the back of the room so my students don't see? Or maybe I'm making too big a deal out of this...
I ask my students to stand, but they don't have to say the pledge. I don't feel that strongly either way, though I guess the undertones of indoctrination probably make me feel more uncomfortable than comfortable...
To be honest, you probably are. My team lead is a Jehovah's Witness who teaches US History. In my HS, they read the Pledge every day. She simply explains that students are required to be silent during the pledge, but it's their choice whether to stand and/or recite. She does not stand obviously, but she does maintain silence. No one's ever said a word to her, adult or student. She doesn't even explain why she remains sitting.
She requires her students to be silent during the Pledge? Or do you just mean that they can't be off-task?
We did the pledge every morning at my previous high school. We're a small town school so most everyone says the pledge. If there was anyone who did not want to participate, then I would have them stand but not require them to say it.
In our school we ask the kids to just stand quietly...we do the pledges and then a moment of silence. You don't have to participate, but you do have to stand quietly and respectfully.
Quiet and respectful is the best way to go. It's how my classmates who abstained for religious reasons led by example.
I do not say the pledge as well, and I had a handful of students who were Jehovah's Witnesses last year who also do not say the pledge. The only rule I had was that everyone stand respectfully and silently during the pledge. No one questioned me or any of the students who didn't participate. We do have a student pledge that everyone, including me, participated in.
Do I care? No. Will someone care? Most likely. Is it a valid reason for being let go? No. Will it be a hidden reason you do not get tenure/are let go early? Probably. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one willing to be a chameleon. If you feel like it will hurt your career, it probably will. Just do it until you're safe. On a side note, I am a part of a private organization that has the requirement of reciting the pledge to maintain membership. So it doesn't bother me in the least to speak the words.
I've changed a lot over the years on this issue as evidenced, I'm sure, by old posts of mine. Today I strongly disagree with requiring students to stand.
I see your point, but I stopped saying the pledge a couple of years ago and I intend to stick with it. I don't do it for religious reasons, but I know there are people who do. So would you tell them to just say the pledge as well? If something went against my religion, there's little chance that I would do it so... Also, I guess I don't really mind if I don't get tenure or get let go early. I don't know if I'll want to/be able to stay in my current school for too long anyways. I'm certified in math, so finding a job isn't too hard here, and I don't really need to work right now anyways.
Me too! I never require my students to stand even though I do. My reasoning is mainly that if they don't want to acknowledge the pledge, they shouldn't have to do so by standing. Sitting quietly is respectful enough for me.
Well, if you don't fear loss of anything - there is absolutely no reason not to be principled and do what you believe. No argument really.
I understand your point though. If I was in a different situation, I would probably feel differently.
