How It Feels to be Forced to Say the Pledge of Allegiance
Reciting the pledge of allegiance has become a distinct memory from my days in middle school and high school. Along with this memory, what follows are teachers guilt-tripping the entire class for not standing up for the pledge of allegiance.
Instead of giving students a valid reason for why we should pledge allegiance, adults think it is okay to guilt-trip a bunch of eleven-year-olds. Patriotism works in funny ways.
It is very interesting that the reasoning remains the same for every adult: I am ultimately disrespecting the people who fought for our nation.
My question is: what about the people who built our nation? What about the people who were removed from their land to build our nation? What about the people who suffered because of our nation?
Interestingly, these questions never came to the mind of my teachers.
As a child, it did not feel good to be confronted by teachers who ignored my choice to not pledge to the flag. It did not feel good to be reprimanded for knowing my rights as a student, and I certainly knew my rights. The Student Bill of Rights states that students can not be forced to say the pledge of allegiance.
And for simply knowing my rights, that was seen as a challenge to my teacher. For not standing up and putting my right hand over my heart, I was disrespecting his authority. That was fearful for me as a child. It was especially fearful being that I was a Black student and he was a White teacher.
Interestingly, the nation that we pledge to is known for its freedom in all realms. Doesn't my right to not pledge allegiance fall under freedom of speech? The same freedom of speech that our nation pledges allegiance to? Patriotism works in funny ways.
Teachers should be aware of scrutinizing their students over their rights. Teachers should be aware that they can not force or tell a student to recite a pledge to a nation. Teachers should especially be cautious when it comes to their minority students and trying to force American patriotism.
Ultimately, it does not feel good to be forced to say the pledge of allegiance. It especially does not feel good as a child to be forced to say the pledge when you feel uncomfortable knowing the history of this nation. It does not feel good to be placed into a position where you feel wrong for defending your right. And America is all about rights, right? Patriotism works in funny ways.
It especially does not feel good to be judged for pledging allegiance to a nation that has not had a good track record when it came to treating people who looked like me.
