The state of Michigan is requiring schools to create a moment in the day for the students to recite the pledge of allegiance. I myself recited it at school as a kid in K-8, but not high school. I teach high school, so this requirement in a high school is new territory for me.
If you child is in high school and his or her school already has the pledge as part of his or her day, how is the moment in class done? I don't mean standing and hand placement. I mean the fact that not all kids, by law, are required to do the pledge.
I am looking ahead to kids do elect not to do the pledge needing to be silent, not using their phones, not coming in tardy, not making fun of the kids who participate, not making fun of the pledge itself and the like.
Note that I am required by law to have a moment for the pledge, but I also, by law, cannot force all of my students to make the pledge.
Likewise, I need the kids who do elect to say the pledge not to harass name-call the kids who elect not to do the pledge.
I am working on a class policy (and the school is working on one as well), and this is new to us. There's a lot to consider. I like to anticipate possible scenarios when I create a policy, so yes, I consider the unlikely, just in case. When to do it is another big consideration my school is facing.
I am focusing on the implementation of doing the pledge, not the reasons for doing the pledge. Tell me how your child's high school implements it. Thank you.
When I taught high school, they did the pledge over the loudspeaker every morning. Those students who wished to participate did so. Those who didn't, regardless of their reason, sat quietly in their chairs until it was over.
I do not say the pledge, so I simply stood silently while the students said it.
None of the students who said it seemed to care that others didn't. There was no harassment.
I agree that it would probably work best if everyone stands (with nothing in their hands). They either stand and recite the pledge or stand in silence out of respect for others. They either place their hand on their heart or stand with their hands at their sides.
High school, as you know, is one of those places where it's usually best to be as simple and direct as possible without making too big a deal about things.
I do think you will need to have a very specific plan in place for when students choose to not behave in a respectful manner. It's true that most of the students will simply stand and either say the pledge or not and be respectful, but there will be those few who just can't resist.
We had this issue in our middle school several years back. Texas required the pledge and Texas pledge for each school. So we had to have a plan to implement this. Granted this is middle school, so I realize high school could bring on other issues. We had to make a plan because our school had a rather high Jehovah's Witness population (they don't say the pledge - these kids wouldn't even stand for it). We also had a large hispanic and ESL community, so we had to prepare for that as well.
First we individually, in our classes, talked about proper protocol during the pledge. Being quiet, no walking in, etc. We also posted the pledge for those who didn't know it, so they could read along.
As a school the plan was for the pledge to be done at the end of announcements. The announcer would say "Please rise if you would like to participate in the Pledge of Alligiance". Most students would rise and those who didn't participate merely waited quietly until it was over. We never had an issue of kids being teased for participating or not participating. Sometimes kids asked "Why doesn't X stand?" We kept those answers general. "There are many reasons people choose not to say the pledge. Some do it for religious purposes. So do not agree with it for political reasons. So are still patriotic to home countries. There are many reasons, and it's non of our business. We just need to remain respectful of one another." It was never really a big deal. Most kids who didn't participate were not shy about their reasons, but they also weren't obnoxious about it either.
ETA- WE did ask try to teach that everyone standing was a common courtesy, but we never pushed it when they chose not to stand for it.
I just wanted to say thanks for being so sensitive about the feelings of those children who opt out of pledging allegiance to the flag. I was one of those kids (for religious reasons) who wasn't allowed to pledge and therefore, one teacher would have me stand in the cloakroom area during that time. It was rather painful to deal with, being so separate.
(ETA: in light of comments-- I was never told by my parents NOT to stand, just not to recite the Pledge itself. That stopped when I transferred schools in second grade and just decided it was easier to do it than not. When you are seven, social ostracism isn't your first choice, no matter what you believe or not.)
Perhaps you could have the kids all turn off their phones/devices at the beginning of the class and put them away, period. You do have a rule about that, right? Then, you could have the entire class stand with respect and those who choose to cover their hearts and recite the pledge should do so.
I don't see this as being any different than being respectful when one is out at dinner with a group who decides to pray before the meal, even if one is not religious-- we just stand silently with them, right? We can all do with being obligated to show a little respect for *others* from time to time.
FWIW, we used to do it in homeroom during the announcements over the speaker; this was second period and the announcements usually came on about 10 minutes into class, to ensure that it was after the tardy bell.
At our local schools, in the Middle schools anyway, there is a time for announcements.... at that point, everyone stands up and is at least silent while the pledge is being said. As you said, they don't have to SAY the pledge, they just stand silently. By the time they get to HS, probably not that many say the pledge, but everyone is supposed to stand.
The teachers do say it, though, as an example. Also, after the pledge, a "moment of silence" is done.
This is all done over the PA, so the entire school is doing it at the same time.
In High School - we said the Pledge of Allegiance after the first bell rang and the daily reports/weather was given over the loud speaker.
We stood and did the Pledge.
Beginning of the day - before lessons are taught!
I teach high school in Texas, and our students say the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge (ugh . . .) at the beginning of announcements every day. All students stand out of respect, but if they choose not to say the pledges, that's fine. We also have a moment of silence right after the pledge when students can pray or just sit quietly. Then announcements begin.
ETA: I just read the post about Jehovah's Witness students not standing. I never realized that, and I have quite a few Jehovah's Witness students. They've never said anything, and they do stand for the pledges (National and Texas). That's interesting. If they ever said anything, of course I wouldn't make them stand, but they have never mentioned it.
Maybe I'm being naive, but what's the big deal about standing up, facing the flag, and being silent for a minute or two while others recite the pledge?
I'm not particularly patriotic, but having kids stand and say the pledge wouldn't bother me as a parent or a student. I'm not religious, but I always had fun standing and reciting the lord's prayer in school when I was little, and everything wasn't so politically correct that teachers had to worry about everyone's sensibilities.
Kids shouldn't harass others in school about anything, so I think the usual school policies about harassment should apply.
You can't force them to do the pledge, but you can force them to stand and be silent, in deference to others. It doesn't hurt kids to be a little inconvenienced now and again.
I think you should address individual complaints as they arise, rather than worrying about them ahead of time. As a teacher, you must be used to complaining students and parents by now.
I'm probably not that helpful; mostly I'm just responding to support your implementing the pledge, if you and your district feel like it. I am so sick and tired of teachers having to be so absurdly p.c. that even having kids stand up silently for a minute has to have a whole policy written about it.
Here's what I *want* to say to complainers: "Stand up and shut up."
How's that for helpful?
We had a Jehovah's Witness who would politely stand quiety while everyone else said it.
Sounds like your school admin needs to address this issue. They need to do morning announcements and have a moment where they tell the students to stand for the pledge. Then everyone in the class should stand. I know my sister does not do the pledge. She's a Jehovah's Witness. We've discussed it before but she's adamant she'll not do it.
I think that expecting kids to make fun of each other is sad. I know kids who'd do this.
I think that having a weekly lesson on patriotism, citizenship, having a guest speaker come in (perhaps a wounded vet) and talk about what the flag means to them might make an impact, being a role model, etc....might help those too embarrassed or afraid of ridicule be able to have courage to stand and do what is right.
I asked my son this morning before he left. He said they say it (he is 10th grade). He said they all stand and pretty much everyone says it. They don't have any who refrain (in his class anyway).
I didn't think to ask, but I'm sure it is during the morning announcements over the PA or whatever they are using these days. (When my daughter was in elementary, they had video streamed from a "news crew" in the media center... I guess on the smartboards).
When I was in high school, the principal (or class president, or some other person) on the speaker system every morning. They asked the student body to stand, then said the pledge. The class would recite along with. Then the person would give the school announcements, and class would start when they were done.
Simple enough.
How is this an individual teachers responsibility?? The school board that made this policy should be giving the teachers their plan on how to implement it and thereby taking the flak for any parent who objects.
Having said that generally the pledge is said over announcements speaker at the beginning of the day. The first day the principle said all students must stand but students who choose not to say the pledge may remain silent. That was the end of it. It has been that way for 5 or 6 years now with no problems.
When I was in school the pledge was always done in the morning before lessons started, done over the school PA system with morning announcements.
Way back in 6th grade we had a student that didn't say the pledge for religious reasons. I really remember him sitting but I'm not 100% sure. He would just quietly and respectfully wait for the rest to say it. No one ever made fun of him for it or anything else, and this was back in the 70s/early 80s.
I chose to stop saying it for personal reasons many many years ago. I either sit quietly or stand quietly depending on the situation.
If you have a student that does not wish to or can not recite the pledge let them choose whether to sit or stand. Make the only requirement be that they are silent and are respectful of those around them that are reciting it. If teasing starts treat it like any other unacceptable teasing.
Do it during home room and announcements. Everyone stands!
Being respectful can be done while standing or sitting.
Easiest if done during first period.
When I taught HS, the pledge was at most a couple minutes during announcements. All students had to stand, but no one was required to say it. I had few issues, typically a kid who refused to stand, but they got sick of the daily reminder long before I got tired of reminding them. I never needed a class policy separate from the district rule.
When I went to school our first period class had morning announcements and they did the pledge then
I agree with those who say that the policy should be district-wide and not up to individual teachers to figure out.
I am happy to see so many responses about kids not being ridiculed for their stance either way.
I also think the school should have a policy about phones, and if not, I think you can institute a classroom policy that phones are off when school is in session, unless there is a specific project where you may permit them to be used as computers.
When the national anthem is played, it's customary to stand whether you sing or not. At the Olympics, people stand when the winning country's anthem is played, and are silent and respectful. If you attend a church or synagogue of another denomination or religion, you stand when they stand, sit when they sit, but don't engage in any other motions or actions which may conflict with your own beliefs. I would think the pledge would qualify as a similar instance.
You know, I don't think it's going to be a big deal. Just like at any public gathering MOST people will say the pledge and some will not. I don't see people (children, teens or adults) caring one way or another what the others around them are doing.
