Massachusetts School Issues Permission Slips for Pledge of Allegiance

Fox News

The principal of a public school in Brookline, Mass., is asking parents to fill out permission slips before their children can participate in a
weekly recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

Gerardo Martinez, the principal of The Devotion School, informed parents that the school would begin reciting the pledge in January over the public address system.

 

Attached to the letter was a form that asked parents to check either: "Yes, my child will participate in the weekly Pledge of Allegiance" or "No, my child will not participate in the
weekly Pledge of Allegiance."

 

"I urge you to have a conversation as a family to help your children understand why I will be reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and to support them in feeling comfortable and
confident in the decision on whether or not to participate," Martinez
wrote in the letter.

 

The school also sent parents a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance along with a note that defined the words "under God" as meaning "there is one Supreme entity for every citizen."

 

School officials told Fox News Radio they are in the process of offering some sort of clarification about the school’s policy as well as the definition of the words "under God."

 

"It's actually not a permission slip," said Superintendent Bill Lupini, in an interview with Fox News Radio. "There's no intent this was a permission form."

 

Lupini said students will not be forced to recite the pledge, regardless of a parent's wishes.

 

"If a student's parent checked yes and the student chose to remain seated, no one was going to compel that student to stand and vice versa," he said.

 

As for the definition of "under God?"

 

"My sense is that particular reference will be removed when he (the principal) clarifies it," Lupini said.

 

Some parents took issue with the permission slips.

 

"It's uncomfortable," Judi Puritz Cook told the Local Wicked newspaper. "The pledge is a promise, and I've always taught my kids to think very carefully before making any promise. It's
not a decision I want to make for them."

 

An attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union in Boston also had some concerns about the situation.

 

Sarah Wunsch told the newspaper the permission slips were "really strange."

 

"It suggests that this is a decision for parents alone," she said, noting that children don't lose their right of expression once they walk into a school building.

 

Under state law, teachers are required to lead students in the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of every school day. Those who fail to do so for at least two weeks could face fines of
up to five dollars.

 

"It's never been enforced,” Lupini said. "We will not be fining anyone."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/12/22/massachusetts-school-issues-permission-slips-pledge-allegiance/#ixzz18sFthKyF

[Elizabeth Crann]

If we don't find a presidential candidate who can articulate pride in this country without apology the way Reagan did, we are sunk. These leftists get too much media exposure, and as a result people start to have second thoughts about their own love of country. It has to stop. It can only stop with an articulate leader. I am so sick of this crap.

[Paul Stewart Reprogle]

I don't feel very nice about some of our fellow citizens and...

[James Moore]

Paul, I am with you, and BTW your last name is not really common, and I had an old Navy Hospital Corpsman friend from St Louis by that name. Does that ring a bell?

[william e grant]

This is the enemy to our country they hide behind the law and beat our country to death. (A.C.L.U. )

[Luke P. Patrino]

I don't care if the ACLU can get the courts to ban the Pledge, Christmas, all references to God and every other thing American. Nothing they and our illegal and unconstitutional government bans will effect me. I stand for the Pledge, I always stand with my hand over my when the Star Spangled Banner is sung, I wish everyone Merry Christmas and I believe in God. If all Americans who believe as we do would stand up, be counted, shout it to the rafters and vote for public officials who share our values, love of Country and belief of God we wouldn't be talking about this Bulls**t all the time. The last 2 things I do before bed each night is check the loads in my guns and say my prayers, both God given rights under The Constitution of the United States of America. To all my friends and fellow Patriots, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, God Bless you and God Bless The United States of America, Luke

[Clarence E. DeBarrows]

You betcha' Luke,  praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

[2llihtalilq28]

Right along with you Luke. The day we don't stand up against this government leftist rule and theft is the day we lose everything of Moral value. I don't intend on letting that happen they will have to take me down first.

Sharon

PS. My guns are loaded too!

[James Moore]

Well, REALLY! If you are not a "citizen", we don't expect you to say the pledge, but then again, we don't expect you to be taking any of our tax money in any form. Why are you even in this country, if you are not a citizen and can't pledge your allegiance to the flag of this country?

[2llihtalilq28]

If you can't say our pledge then why would you want to live here. Thought people came here for a better life. When I was going to school we didn't even think second about saying the pledge or prayer. We have become weak and ever crumbling in this country to not offend anyone. Well I say offend away, you don't like it leave. This is the USA land of the free and home of the brave (were are the brave?). Stand up for our Country!!!!

Sharon

[crashaxe]

If your not a citizen and/or won't recite the Pledge of Allegiance than LEAVE THIS COUNTRY AND GO BACK TO THE ONE YOU CAME FROM! We, us God fearing Americans Don't want you here! Jehovah  whiteness excluded....lol...