Upstate NY mom: Teacher physically forced daughter to stand for the pledge

[Guest Nicole]

An Albany-area mother says her daughter was physically forced to stand and put her hand on her chest by a teacher during the pledge of allegiance, and that the school has not handled the matter appropriately.

What happened? Erin Moore's 6-year-old daughter attends Southgate Elementary School in the North Colonie Central School District. She told WRGB-TV that a substitute teacher physically forced her daughter to stand and grabbed her hand and put it on her chest when she saw the girl not participating in the pledge.

The girl, who does not stand for the pledge for religious reasons, tried to explain to the substitute, but the teacher said "when she's there, she will do the pledge," according to Moore.

Why is the mom upset? Besides the fact that a teacher physically forced her daughter to do something, Moore and her family are Jehovah's Witnesses.

"By putting God first we don't participate in the pledge. We don't bow to idols, so we consider it idolatry," Moore explained. "It was a violation of our rights to worship God the way we want."

The girl's regular teacher is aware of her religious beliefs, but Moore says there's no excuse for the sub's behavior. She is demanding the teacher apologize, and she wants the school to document what happened. She has also contacted police.

How has the school responded? According to Moore, all she's heard from the school is a verbal confirmation that this won't happen again.

Joseph Corr, Superintendent of North Colonie Schools, tried to excuse the teacher involved by saying she was just trying to show the student how to stand for the pledge, according to WRGB.

The district has refused to comment on whether the teacher will face any reprimands.

http://www.newyorkupstate.com/albany/2017/11/upstate_ny_mom_teacher_physically_forced_daughter_to_stand_for_the_pledge.html

[David Normand]

Wow, that issue was settled almost 3/4 of a century ago and stated unequivocally that as a matter of conscience you cannot force students to pledge allegiance to the flag. Unsettling, but not surprising that this issue pops up now and again.

I commented to my wife last night when a commercial for a new movie was playing that there does seem to be more patriotic movies being produced this year then in times past. However, these are not directly war movies, but more directed at the home front and the need for citizens to support the military. I suppose soft-patriotism might be a way to describe them. They are not in your face patriotic, but rather seek to persuade by showing how soldiers are dedicated to country and family.

Back to the teacher, she does not seem to have gotten the message and is instead using the hard sell method to force student to violate their conscience. 

[Evacuated]

7 hours ago, David Normand said:

soft-patriotism

Standard fodder of TV soaps world wide.