Florida boy, 11, arrested after refusing to recite ‘racist’ Pledge of Allegiance: report

dixon01767 said:

Fascinating to watch how easily the people can be lead to believe anything the media wants them to believe. I suspect your eagerness to want to believe has something to do with it.

Click to expand...

how do you distinguish between what the media "wants" the public to believe versus the facts the media reports

Obscurity said:

You have no evidence for this claim, so I am dismissing it as biased opinion.

Educators are leaving because of the right wing assault on education. Defunding, attacking and demonizing teachers.

Your team is a disgusting batch of evil shills.

Click to expand...

actually, you are both right

teachers are leaving because of the mismanagement of schools
and teachers are leaving because many of the students are not expected to respect their teachers

TU Curmudgeon said:

From FOX News

Florida boy, 11, arrested after refusing to recite ‘racist’ Pledge of Allegiance: report
​

A Florida middle school student was arrested earlier this month after allegedly getting into a confrontation with school officials and a law enforcement officer following reports that he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

The 11-year-old attends the sixth grade at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland. He has been charged with disrupting a school function and resisting arrest without being violent, both misdemeanors. The Feb. 4 incident began when the boy allegedly told his substitute teacher he did not want to stand for the pledge because he viewed the American flag as racist against African-Americans.


In a handwritten statement to Polk County Public Schools, the teacher reported telling the boy, "Why if it was so bad here he did not go to another place to live." She said he then said, "they brought me here," according to Bay News 9.

The student was arrested by a school resource officer after he refused to follow commands and called school officials racists, reports said. He has not been identified by the school or police. A Lakeland police spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, The Ledger newspaper reported.

COMMENT:-

Strangely enough, if the "adults" hadn't made a big fuss over this incident, there would have been no "disrupting a school function" and thus no need for police involvement and thus no "resisting arrest" - would there?

On the other hand, it IS the duty of "The State" to ensure that all of the children think and behave exactly alike - isn't it?

Well?

Isn't it?

I mean, we can't have conflicting opinions in a free, open, and democratic society - can we?
​

Click to expand...

Sooo dishonest.
He wasn't arrested for refusing to recite the pledge of allegiance.
He was arrested for getting into a confrontation with school officials and a law enforcement official.

Fenton said:

Sooo dishonest.
He wasn't arrested for refusing to recite the pledge of allegiance.
He was arrested for getting into a confrontation with school officials and a law enforcement official.

Click to expand...

how do we know that confrontation was not about his refusal to stand and invoke the pledge

Hmmm, disturbing a school function is a crime? So a kid sneezes or laughs out loud in an assembly and that's a criminal act? Hmmm, resisting arrest without the use of violence? So how exactly do you resist arrest without some measure of violence? Is going limp or clinging to a desk leg a crime now? Hmmm, not standing for the Oath of Allegience. That is a crime now? The kid has no choice but to go to the school the state and his parent(s) have assigned him to. He is part of a captive population and is being forced to swear allegience to a state which he feels no allegience to? This experience will certainly improve his view of America. Hmmm, the student refuses to utter the words he is ordered to speak and is arrested for refusing to recite an oath he clearly does not agree with? If he had recited it and then said it was all a lie, then would he have been done for fraud and arrested anyway I wonder? What is the wisdom of compelling speech against the speaker's will among captive populations institutionalised in the "Land of the Free"?

The school and the "police" should be on trial here in the court of public opinion for their draconian behaviour, not a boy with some moral fortitude who refuses to flinch in the face of overwhelming (for a grade-six boy) coercive force. Education means to lead students to learning and better understanding. It does not mean legally clubbing them into submission and compelled obedience. Next time this kid should stand and recite loudly the Declaration of Independence while the rest of his classmate-drones meekly do as they are told and swear an empty oath. Rage Against the Machine young man and you can change the world before it changes you!

I salute the courage and the principle which this boy seems to have shown in the best traditions of the American Revolution and the Republic which it founded. Bravo, young man and don't let the bastards grind you down. This is truly standing your ground, not shooting someone because you can. Stay strong and stick to your principles, no matter how much sh*t the system throws at you, because in doing so you are a champion for freedom and are living the other more overlooked American dream!

Cheers.
Evilroddy (High school teacher).

Barnacle said:

Reciting was not the problem, standing - as instructed by the teacher - was ... followed by arguing with the teacher and finally calling the teacher a racist.

As you gave me a Wikipedia article, here is one from Wikipedia to you:

"Jehovah's Witnesses believe their allegiance belongs to God's Kingdom, which they view as an actual government. They refrain from saluting the flag of any country or singing nationalistic songs, which they believe are forms of worship, although they may stand out of respect.

Click to expand...

I will tell you again, the student was constitutionally protected from not saying the pledge by court cases brought to SCOTUS by Jehovah's Witnesses.

I understand you think that these things don't matter - but the JWs started a precedent which protected everyone - even leftists - from authoritarians like this teacher.

How is it the left's fault that the student knew his rights better than the teacher? How do you not understand that "may" leaves it up to the person to decide? Lol. English is tough overseas.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.

Hatuey said:

I will tell you again, the student was constitutionally protected from not saying the pledge by court cases brought to SCOTUS by Jehovah's Witnesses.
I understand you think that these things don't matter - but the JWs started a precedent which protected everyone - even leftists - from authoritarians like this teacher.
How is it the left's fault that the student knew his rights better than the teacher? How do you not understand that "may" leaves it up to the person to decide? Lol. English is tough overseas. Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.

Click to expand...

Don't know how often I have to repeat this, but it's obvious your English is not up to par:

Polk county news station: "An 11-year-old Polk County student refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, and after explaining his reasons, he was kicked out of class and eventually arrested for being disruptive and disobeying commands to calm down and leave the classroom. ..."
Mother Upset After Son Kicked Out of Class Over Pledge


After he refused to follow a simple request, all hell broke lose:

"... student ... called the flag racist and described the national anthem as offensive.
... After the confrontation began, the school’s dean of students tried unsuccessfully to calm the student down, asking him to leave the class 20 times, police said.
“The school resource officer then intervened and asked the student to exit the classroom and he refused,” the department said. “The student left the classroom and created another disturbance and made threats while he was escorted to the office.” ..."
Sixth-grader arrested in Florida after refusal to participate in Pledge of Allegiance led to confrontation


What a little POS ... although his mother said her son "is not a disrespectful kid".

Obscurity said:

You have no evidence for this claim, so I am dismissing it as biased opinion.

Educators are leaving because of the right wing assault on education. Defunding, attacking and demonizing teachers.

Your team is a disgusting batch of evil shills.

Click to expand...

America was a lot greater when kids could be disciplined. Now they have no respect for authority which then leads to them getting beat up and shot. This is why conservatives send their kids to private schools. They don't want them mixing with the leftist trash kids.

Mongidig said:

America was a lot greater when kids could be disciplined. Now they have no respect for authority which then leads to them getting beat up and shot. This is why conservatives send their kids to private schools. They don't want them mixing with the leftist trash kids.

Click to expand...

Yup; after the Covington boys were cleared and the Indian hack was exposed as instigator and agitator, there were still liberals on this board harping: "But the boys were disrespectful!"

Showing a case now of true disrespect to a teacher, the liberals are singing: "It's okay for him to give the bird to the teacher ... our laws grant him the freedom to do that."

Barnacle said:

Don't know how often I have to repeat this, but it's obvious your English is not up to par:

Polk county news station: "An 11-year-old Polk County student refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, and after explaining his reasons, he was kicked out of class and eventually arrested for being disruptive and disobeying commands to calm down and leave the classroom. ..."
Mother Upset After Son Kicked Out of Class Over Pledge


After he refused to follow a simple request, all hell broke lose:

"... student ... called the flag racist and described the national anthem as offensive.
... After the confrontation began, the school’s dean of students tried unsuccessfully to calm the student down, asking him to leave the class 20 times, police said.
“The school resource officer then intervened and asked the student to exit the classroom and he refused,” the department said. “The student left the classroom and created another disturbance and made threats while he was escorted to the office.” ..."
Sixth-grader arrested in Florida after refusal to participate in Pledge of Allegiance led to confrontation


What a little POS ... although his mother said her son "is not a disrespectful kid".

Click to expand...

So he exercised his right, and was kicked out for it when he refused to budge. You don't understand that at no point should anyone have tried to question him on why he wasn't performing an action he wasn't obligated to perform?

Your understanding of American legal precedents is faulty. It must be hard to understand how our legal system works: we don't harass people for not doing things they are legally protected in not doing.

Come on, step into the light - you messed up trying to blame this on leftists and now can't seem to figure out just why this protection exists in the first place.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.

Barnacle said:

Yup; after the Covington boys were cleared and the Indian hack was exposed as instigator and agitator, there were still liberals on this board harping: "But the boys were disrespectful!"

Showing a case now of true disrespect to a teacher, the liberals are singing: "It's okay for him to give the bird to the teacher ... our laws grant him the freedom to do that."

Click to expand...

The teacher in this OP has been removed from the district listing, and the school apologized to the kid. This isn't because of leftists. It's because the school understands that students shouldn't be confronted when they do what they are legally allowed to do.

You seem mad.

Sent from Trump Plaza's basement using Putin's MacBook.

Hatuey said:

The teacher in this OP has been removed from the district listing, and the school apologized to the kid. This isn't because of leftists. It's because the school understands that students shouldn't be confronted when they do what they are legally allowed to do.
...

Click to expand...

Every school apologizes immediately and subsequently fires a white teacher.
Remember the Covington Bishop? Apologized immediately and later ... well, you know the story.

I'm glad the kid's mommy removed her little POS from that school. Now the other kids don't have to fear of being called racists ...

Fledermaus said:

The pledge itself isn't racist.

That being said, he should stand and remain silent if he wishes to.

I have visited a few temples, churches, and other places where it was expected to stand, sit or bow according to local rules. I would follow those rules as a sign of respect.

Click to expand...

Except you chose to go into those temples, churches and other places where there may have been solemn rules and traditions. This child did not have a choice he was being forced to comply with the pledge of allegiance.

TU Curmudgeon said:

If I were to recite

"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Constitutional Monarchy for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

or

"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of Canada and to the Constitutional Monarchy for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

or

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of Canada, and to the Constitutional Monarchy for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
​

would you have noticed that I am also pledging my allegiance to "liberty and justice for all" just as an American is when they recite "The Pledge of Allegiance"?

Of the six parts:

• the "flag";
• the "Constitutional Monarchy/Republic";
• the "one nation";
• the "under God";
• the "indivisible"; or
• the "liberty and justice for all";

which do you think could LEAST be dispensed with and still have the type of society that you want to live in?

Which do you think that the children are taught are the MOST important?

Click to expand...

No, I wouldn't notice, nor would I care. I wouldn't have children take any sort of oath, regardless of how much I agree with the words. There's no phrase or any other addition that would make this any more palatable to me. I feel like having kids swear an oath to liberty to be a giant contradiction.

TU Curmudgeon said:

And any teacher should know that.

A person could refuse to recite the "Pledge of Allegiance" on the ground that they have a personal belief that it is improper to "pledge" to "things". They might want to "pledge" "support for the Ideals espoused by the United States of America", in which case they could NOT "recite the Pledge of Allegiance" AS IT IS CURRENTLY CONSTITUTED.

Click to expand...

I think this pledging stuff is not that common in a lot of other Western democracies. We for example in the Netherlands do not have such things in school. School to me is for teaching, teaching patriotism and teaching the pledge can be done within the confines of history lessons or something like that.

In my country we do not have announcements over the PA, or not that many. On holidays we had the day off but I could understand on special occasions it would be appropriate to do the pledge but daily? Kids need to learn math, biology, etc. etc. etc. much more than reciting something they may or may never do again except on special moments.

Peter King said:

Except you chose to go into those temples, churches and other places where there may have been solemn rules and traditions. This child did not have a choice he was being forced to comply with the pledge of allegiance.

Click to expand...

Ignorance is thy name ...
The only thing he was "forced" to was to stand ...

Peter King said:

Except you chose to go into those temples, churches and other places where there may have been solemn rules and traditions. This child did not have a choice he was being forced to comply with the pledge of allegiance.

Click to expand...

In civilised countries like, I suppose, the Netherlands children are not forced to recite "pledges of allegiance". Don't Americans understand that this strange rite reminds some of us of the unlamented USSR?

Mongidig said:

America was a lot greater when kids could be disciplined. Now they have no respect for authority which then leads to them getting beat up and shot. This is why conservatives send their kids to private schools. They don't want them mixing with the leftist trash kids.

Click to expand...

Conservatives send their kids to schools for religious reasons. I agree kids ought to be disciplined, but your disgusting description of children is a hideous honesty.

You are a despicable person and you disgust me.

Peter King said:

Except you chose to go into those temples, churches and other places where there may have been solemn rules and traditions. This child did not have a choice he was being forced to comply with the pledge of allegiance.

Click to expand...

And what have I stated in regards to the pledge of allegiance?

Barnacle said:

Ignorance is thy name ...
The only thing he was "forced" to was to stand ...

Click to expand...

and why would someone be forced to stand? And if I were a school I would have just sent him home, had the parents come and pick up the child rather than arrests and all that kind of nonsense.

Sweden said:

In civilised countries like, I suppose, the Netherlands children are not forced to recite "pledges of allegiance". Don't Americans understand that this strange rite reminds some of us of the unlamented USSR?

Click to expand...

That is exactly what my mother said when I told her and showed her what US kids have to do every day.

Peter King said:

and why would someone be forced to stand? And if I were a school I would have just sent him home, had the parents come and pick up the child rather than arrests and all that kind of nonsense.

Click to expand...

See post 182 ...

Peter King said:

That is exactly what my mother said when I told her and showed her what US kids have to do every day.

Click to expand...

What a load of nonsense. My kids went to a public elementary school, smack in the middle of redneck country and bible belt ... never had to recite the "pledge of allegiance".

Barnacle said:

Now the other kids don't have to fear of being called racists ...

Click to expand...

This is why we have snowflakes.

I see posters from north of our border posting on this thread...north of th border...where they pass laws penalizing people for pronouns. I see 'likes' in this thread from people living in the UK...the UK, where the loyal kneeling subjects there have so completely abandoned their freedoms to the point where people are being thrown in jail for jokes or comments that other people might find offensive. Hell...I see people in THIS country commenting while ignoring the FACT that we have already had states pass laws were state employees are now criminalized for failing to use an individuals preferred pronouns.

But y'all think THIS story is whacked.

And yes...for the record...every student should have the right to refuse to stand.