Students punished for sitting during pledge
May 9, 2008
Three eighth-graders at Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton Junior High spent Thursday in in-school suspension for sitting down during the pledge of allegiance.
Brandt Dahl said his homeroom teacher had never before told the class that the school handbook required students to stand up during the pledge.
Three eighth graders at DGF Junior High were given in-school suspensions on Thursday for violating a requirement that all students stand during the pledge of allegiance.
Principal Colleen Houglum was observed three students sitting down during the pledge and according to students accounts, told the three students to report to the office. Thirteen year old Brandt Dahl talked to Forum Communications and said he was unaware that the school handbook required students to stand during the pledge.
The school’s handbook requires students to stand during the pledge, but students are not required to recite the pledge. According to Houglum, violating the student handbook may result in a variety of consequences.
According to students, Hoglum told the class at a later time that sitting during the pledge of allegiance was disrespectful, particularly at a time when troops are fighting in other countries.
Dahl said the other two students did homework during the in-school suspension. All three should be able to return to class Friday.
“I thought it was kind of dumb because I didn’t do anything wrong,” Dahl said. “It should be the people’s choice.”
Kim Dahl, the mother of Brandt Dahl, said her son deserved a warning first since that policy had never been enforced before.
Shaun Anderson is a member of the military and agrees with Principal Houglum that people should stand during the pledge. Anderson is the father of one of the other two students who was suspended said his child normally stands for the pledge. Anderson explained that his child was talking to a friend and was not aware of the pledge being announced over the intercom.
“I totally, 100 percent agree with her (Houglum), I think any American should believe that” Anderson said.
One Response to “Students punished for sitting during pledge”
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This is a First Amendment issue. Bogus and selectively enforced rules can’t obfuscate the fact that these kids are being denied their Constitutional rights.