I enjoyed reading your piece about the pledge. It sparked some things for me as I was reading, so I wanted to share those thoughts. I also think you have a great opportunity to take part in some critical inquiry.
I applaud you courage to subvert the authority in your school and take a stand against having people mindlessly pledge their allegiance to anything. However, I do wonder about a couple of things. You said that you won't swear your loyalty to a piece of fabric. That's cool. I get it. I can understand that perspective. That piece of fabric means a lot to me because I've been very happy to see it flying in a foreign country because it meant I was safe. The great thing about this country is that you don't have to see it that way. But here's the thing: that's not really what the pledge is about. It's not about a piece of fabric.
You see, the pledge is about swearing loyalty to our country. You point out that you think your students would, like you, refuse to participate if they were to genuinely explore what they are saying. I guess what I'm inviting you to do is really explore those words. "I pledge allegiance to the flag, and to the Republic, for which it stands..." Here's my point. The pledge is not just to a "piece of cloth," it is a pledge of allegiance or loyalty to our county. It is a pledge of loyalty to the Republic that the flag symbolizes.
What I'm saying is this: You sleep under the blanket of freedom provided by the Republic. That freedom affords you the opportunity to dissent. If you are dissenting after really considering those words, then by all means dissent away. But, do so knowing that it is the Republic that gives you the ability to do that- not just a piece of cloth.
I think you have a great opportunity to engage in some critical inquiry with your students. You could, if you were so inclined, genuinely explore the words of the pledge. When a student asks why you don't lead it- or a student asks to lead it, you could ask why they ask their questions. Then, you could really explore the words. Everyone would be basing their decisions to pledge or not to pledge on an authentic exploration of what they are saying. The words would then become meaningful- or they would be omitted from you daily routine. Either way, everyone would have the chance to really consider why they made the choice they did.
Just my two cents. I really enjoyed your piece. Excellent food for thought.
Trevor
