Brunswick High School’s Dual Enrollment English 101 course was given an assignment to write a persuasive essay about a topic of their choosing. The Garnet & Gold Gazette staff chose their top 10 editorials to publish on our site. Staff used elements of news such as proximity, reader impact, human interest, and prominence within our community to publish relevant and enticing information on our site. 

The essays chosen did an amazing job informing readers on the content and creating persuasive arguments on the chosen topics.

“Pledge Shaming”

In elementary school is when everyone started standing for the pledge. I would stand just because others were. I never really knew what I was standing for until I got further into my education. That’s when I realized that the pledge goes against almost everything that I believe in. Whether or not you stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in school it’s your choice. For those who don’t stand (like me), we shouldn’t be shamed by teachers for it. Students should not be shamed for not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, because the first amendment right gives students the choice to stand or not, and many injustices are still going on in America. 

Others may say that it’s disrespectful or not patriotic to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I understand why people may feel this way, but I want to make it clear that I don’t stand to be disrespectful. I respect everyone who does stand during the pledge because it’s their right. That’s why during the pledge I am silent and not on my phone; I do this to show that I have respect for others that are choosing to stand. 

Freedom is what America preaches, right? The first amendment gives people the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, assemble, and petition. Everyone has rights and they apply at all times. Even at school. The first amendment allows you to decide whether you stand for the Pledge of Allegiance or not. That is why it is not required to stand for the pledge in school. With that being said, a teacher cannot make a student stand or give consequences for not standing.  At Windfern High School a 16 year old highschool student got suspended for sitting down during the pledge (Hayes). The student was then suspended for 3 days. Was it really that serious to suspend a student over?  Students shouldn’t be punished for not standing for the pledge. It’s not only unfair but also goes against our first amendment right.  

In Geometry class, my teacher would make you stand for the pledge. I was the only person in class who refused to stand. My teacher didn’t like this so she made a speech in class saying, “ Everyone needs to stand for the pledge. You live in one of the best countries in the world. You should be grateful that you’re here. It’s just respect guys.” Not everyone feels the same about America being “one of the best countries.” Lots of minorities are still being treated unfairly and discriminated against. These minorities mainly consist of  Black, Hispanic, and Asian people. At Sam Houston High School a black student had experienced discrimination in the classroom. He then goes on to state, “ … I no longer felt allegiance to a country that had no allegiance to me. I refused to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance” (Benton). Racial injustice is real and has been happening for a long time, therefore the phrase “ liberty and justice for all” does not truly apply to all. Should someone be shamed for not standing for something that they believe isn’t true? Authority figures should understand that students experience real world problems too, such as racial inequality. So instead of high school teachers lecturing or shaming students about the pledge they should be understanding, while allowing students to make the choice to stand or not. 

Consequently, students should not be shamed for not standing for the pledge because the first amendment gives students the choice to stand or not, and many injustices are still going on in America today. Teachers need to be more sensitive when it comes to students that stay seated during the pledge. You never know what their reasoning might be for not standing. As students become more educated on problems going on in today’s society, they become more aware of what they’re really standing for. Always make sure that you’re standing for something that you believe. I’ll stand when there really is liberty and justice for all. 

Works Cited: 

Benton, Jasmine. “Sam Houston High Graduate Protests Racial Injustice and Police Brutality.” San Antonio Report,
28 June 2020, sanantonioreport.org/why-i-dont-stand-for-the-pledge-of-allegiance/. 

Hayes, Mike. “A High School Student Suspended for Not Standing during Pledge of Allegiance Has Sued the
Principal.” BuzzFeed News, BuzzFeed News, 10 Oct. 2017, www.buzzfeednews.com/article/mikehayes/student-
suspended-for-not-standing-during-pledge-sues.