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Education

Texas Student Challenges School’s Policy of Standing During The Pledge of Allegiance

May. 28, 2012 3:35pm Becket Adams

A student at Cypress Springs High School in Cypress, Tex., says he’s being “singled out” by his teachers because he wouldn’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, according to KHOU.com.

“It’s very uncomfortable,” said Ray Jones. “I’m wondering what they’re going to say next.”

The trouble started last month on a day Jones decided to jog to school. According to his mother, the 17-year old was so wiped out by his run that he was incapable of standing for the nine seconds it takes to say the Pledge.

“He was tired, dripping with sweat, exhausted,” LaTonya Ellison said. “He just, on that particular day, did not feel like standing up.”

Watch the KHOU.com news brief:

“According to the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, students who do not participate in the Pledge of Allegiance are expected to stand, unless a parent has contacted the school regarding this practice being in conflict with their religious beliefs,” KHOU reports.

“Ellison admits she never wrote a note,” the report adds.

Jones and Ellison say they have no problem with the Pledge or the school’s policy — they have a problem with how the teachers handled the situation.

“Instead of being asked what was wrong, because that was totally out of character for him, it was assumed that he was being unpatriotic — and that is not what it was about at all,” Ellison said.

Jones’ mother has since written his teachers a note excusing him from the Pledge. And although she has written the note, she says faculty members still “single him out” in class, according to KHOU.

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Comments (607)

ALL4FREEDOM
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:17pm
The part that I find disturbing is that, allegedly, he continues to be singled out for what was a one-time “out of character” event. If that is the case, then the teachers are out of line on this one. Once again, GOOD MANNERS are lacking, which are no longer taught in school (and apparently not much at home, either). If he chooses not to participate in the pledge, which is his right, he should simply stand in silence so as not to deliberately offend others by remaining seated, which would be rude.

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- rickc34
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 8:45pm
  The President and his wife both in the past have voiced their distaste for both the pledge and the anthem. So what kind of respect do you expect from the youth today. Just like the president if you do not agree it is a racial issue no it is not it is a spiritual issue. Please do not make excuses why you disrepect the flag the pledge or anthem. You enjoy the benefits without sharing the cost.
  
  Report this comment
- MCDAVE
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:17pm
  Barry not showing proper respect during our national anthem in2007 spoke volumes about his character ,i saw it then…turns out we were wight about him…he still has no respect for our country……..this kid needs 12 weeks in basic training,,like to see him tell his drill sergeant he’s to tired to stand and respect the flag..
  
  Report this comment
- TulsaYeeHaw
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:27pm
  ALL4FREEDOM,
  a liberty hating socialist wrote the pledge of alliegance. I won’t stand for it either anymore, and if anyone is offended, tough.
  
  Report this comment
- dealer@678
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:36pm
  Sounds like the little POS and his mamma has gone to some of those Louis Farrakhan meeetings
  
  Report this comment
- happygranny
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:42pm
  Young man, you should be ashamed of yourself. Before anything else, you are an American and be proud of this fact. By standing your honor your country and its history. I would love to see you live somewhere else for a year like N. Korea or Russia or China, then you might appreciate what you have.
  
  Report this comment
- VoteBushIn12
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:48pm
  “If he chooses not to participate in the pledge, which is his right, he should simply stand in silence so as not to deliberately offend others by remaining seated, which would be rude.”
  
  Uumm, some would consider standing as participating. “If you don’t want to donate to my church fine, that’s your right, just give me some money and don’t offend others trying to donate.”
  
  Standing for the pledge should not be a requirement in a FREE NATION. You know what types of countries force people to declare their allegiance? Nationalist countries. You know what country made people pledge allegiance and closely identified with Nationalism? NAZIS!
  
  Are you American? Or are you a Nazi!?
  
  I say, if the boy doesn’t want to stand and pledge his allegiance he need not. I may not agree with him, but darn-it that’s his right and that’s what Freedom is all about!
  
  Happy Memorial day!
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:51pm
  See senile Granny, he does live in America, he is not compelled to stand, he has the freedom to choose for himself. You fasicist conservatives preach freedom, when in truth you want everyone to have the freedom to act just like you, mindless patriots believing in symbols and show, not in freedom itself.
- Reagan_Patriot
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:57pm
  “I’m wondering what they’re going to say next.”
  
  You do? I’m wondering what socialists anthem you would stand for. Let me guess… the Obama song by Will>I.Am.
  
  Report this comment
- servant100
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:21am
  As a high school teacher, I must remind our educationally challenged commenter here that a school stands “in loco parentis” and is NOT a democracy. There are standards such as dress codes, specific directions where a student can and cannot be, and a full schedule for each student. Each student and their parents in most Texas ISD’s are presented with the rules for their particular high school and they have the choice to sign or not sign them. Included in these codes normally is the requirement to stand, place your hand over your heart, face the US and Texas flags respectively and say first the respective pledges to the US and Texas respectively.
  
  This kid obviously is going through his rebellion period…tried to game the teacher by sitting through the pledge, and is disrupting the classroom. Personally, I say “Give me a Break!” The kid jogs for 9 minutes and arrives in a state of collapse to his first period class. Total and complete bovine manure!
  
  The kid is acting out…and his obviously worthless excuse for parents are backing the brat’s play cause its against “the man…”
  
  In school, rules and order make for a SAFE classroom environment. Its a daily battle to keep “troubled (spoiled brat) students and their even more troubled parents from disrupting every aspect of the learning environment. The pledge is important, because it build patriotism. I even go through both the Texas and American pledges with my students to show them the meanings behi
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:15am
  Encinom
  That is the same thing Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden. “You have the right to choose for yourself what is right and wrong.” Notice that it was the knowledge of good AND evil; not good FROM evil. (Genesis 3:5)
  
  Report this comment
- rangerp
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:45am
  libs got ahold of our schools, and we went from top in the world in math and science, and now are down around 30th place, with a number of developing nations now outscoring us.
  
  We spend more money per student here in the US, than any nation in the world, and the only answer libs have to education fix, is give more money. They got to keep those teachers unions voting democrat.
  
  How is it that some 50 years ago, we still had one room school houses in parts of the country, kids still used the King James Version Bible as a text book, and we had such higher scores?
  
  The first step in fixing the schools in America, is to bring back discipline. If the teacher says stand up, then you stand up. That is what a discipline student does.
  
  Schools has become a big social club. Tyrone thinks he is running the show, and it is all about his self expression. I would like to express a belt across his back side, and I guarantee I could improve his desire to do as told.
  
  The left does not want to fix our schools. They want to keep turning our dumb Obama voters, who will hand over our nation to the socialists/communists. Thus the reason young kids can no longer argue, debate, apply logic, or critical thinking. They all just spit out talking points from the left.
  
  Two legs bad, four legs good. Two legs bad, four legs good. Two legs bad, four legs good.
  
  Report this comment
- poorrichard09
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:38am
  Maybe he would like to stand and raise his fist in the “black power” salute.
  
  Report this comment
- Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:04am
  @ENCINOM
  It must really suck being you
  
  Report this comment
- Jaycen
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:44am
  No, the teachers are not out of line. This is a boy who wants to be patriotic when he wants to be, and lazy when he wants to be. He lacks discipline in his life, and it’s clear his mother is a source of the problem.
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:18am
  RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:15am
  Encinom
  That is the same thing Satan told Eve in the Garden of Eden. “You have the right to choose for yourself what is right and wrong.” Notice that it was the knowledge of good AND evil; not good FROM evil. (Genesis 3:5)
  _____________________________
  
  “Better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven,” Milton, Paradise Lost.
  
  The beauty of America is that we have FREEDOM OF CHOICE, we choose our destiny, we choose out faith. Manditory standing for an oath or blinding waving a flag is not patriotic, that is what the brainwashed masses in North Korea do. We have the freedom of choice to participate. The true patriot defends the rights of others to choose.
  
  Satan granted Adam and Eve freedom, along with the consquences of freedom, otherswise they were nothing more than groundskeepers with no freewill of their own.
  
  Report this comment
- venrooy
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:18am
  @ENCINOM – Of course we believe in true freedom – but we also believe in respecting those that have provided it for us. That “symbol” represents millions of human lives. They sacrificed everything so that you can have the liberty to be a big BAFOON on theblaze every day. The freedom they have in Texas is their right to put a boot up your arse if you decide to disrespect the Texas size sacrifice provided you to even be in that classroom.
  
  Report this comment
- SLOWBIDEN
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:41am
  Hate to say it but when I was in school I refused to stand for the pledge of allegance. I didn’t think I should have and still don’t think that I should have. I later served 4 years in the USMC and was recalled in support of operation enduring freedom. That’s the good thing about freedom. We are not forced to pledge allegance to anyone or anything.
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:51am
  venrooy
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:18am
  @ENCINOM – Of course we believe in true freedom – but we also believe in respecting those that have provided it for us. That “symbol” represents millions of human lives. They sacrificed everything so that you can have the liberty to be a big BAFOON on theblaze every day. The freedom they have in Texas is their right to put a boot up your arse if you decide to disrespect the Texas size sacrifice provided you to even be in that classroom.
  ___________________
  Even in Texas, your freedom ends at my nose. If your views is that you will enforce false patriotism with your jack boot, how different are you from being a brown shirt or a member of the North Korean Army? Those that died, died to prevent petty fasicist dictators like yourself from stomping on the freedoms of Americans. You sir are not a patriot, but just a fasicist waving a flag that you fail to understand.
  
  Report this comment
- venrooy
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:23pm
  @ENCINOM – Expecting polite respect is not being a Fascist. You obviously have no idea what Fascism is to be able to throw the word around so easily. Look it up before you use it as an excuse for your failed upbringing. A lack of manners and respect is the main reason why Liberals can NEVER maintain a majority for very long.
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:40pm
  venrooy
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:23pm
  @ENCINOM – Expecting polite respect is not being a Fascist. You obviously have no idea what Fascism is to be able to throw the word around so easily. Look it up before you use it as an excuse for your failed upbringing. A lack of manners and respect is the main reason why Liberals can NEVER maintain a majority for very long.
  _______________________
  Enforcing your idea of respect with violence (boots to the neck) and at the coast of personal freedom and liberty is fasicism. It is this false patriotism displayed on the Blaze is a greater disrespect to those that died than not standing for an oath, this false flag waving patriotism is counter to the true meaning of liberty and no different than the patriotic displays in North Korea and Nazi Germany.
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:43pm
  Encinom
  Here is the flaw in your logic: You don’t RULE in hell, you BURN in hell. The day will come when you will stand before God and need clean underwear.
  
  Report this comment
- CalMarine
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 1:17pm
  I say all you punk asses like Encino, and all of you other hacks, kick rocks. You do not deserve to be in this great country. All you want to do is change it and tell others how evil it is. Pack your bags and go.
  
  Report this comment
- Al J Zira
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 1:33pm
  @encinom: That’s funny! I was driving down my street the other day after the parade and saw a guy on the ground and another one standing over him with his boot to his neck. Must be happening everywhere?
  
  Where do you live?
  
  Report this comment
- Shifty6
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 3:54pm
  Encinom: Dont be ridiculous. As a citizen of the United States there should be certain expectations. Hate the conservative all you want, but America is the country, If he wants to wait until he is older like Michelle Obama to be proud of the country, then he is FREE to leave and go to a place where he can excersize his “freedom” to not stand for a pledge of allegiance to that country. If he can’t show some respect for the country, he should not enjoy its benefits. He could pay higher taxes, he could have to have a curfew, he could not be allowed to vote, etc. I am not saying he should be thrown in jail, but we can reward people who actually like this country, and just not reward those who clearly hate this place, but are the first to claim its rights and freedoms. Amazing.
  
  Report this comment
- ACLUHater
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:27pm
  Dopes like this are the future of America?
  
  Report this comment
- SELECT
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:27pm
  he should be allowed to leave the room. i would not allow him to stay and not participate. his choice.
  
  Report this comment
- SELECT
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 8:31pm
  i’m with servant100!!
  great post and i sure admire you for even being a high school teacher. you are a brave soul.
  
  Report this comment
- cmi
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 10:39pm
  Just do whatever you please in school anymore!??! The teacher’s don’t have ANY authority anymore!! No wonder our education system is going to hell in a handbasket!! This kid should be expelled!! PERIOD!!!
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:00pm
  @Shifty6
  Do Beckerheads even know what freedom and liberty mean? Our freedoms include the freedom not to conform with the false patriots. Our freedoms include the freedom not to be forced to perform false patriotic ritual. Most of the Beckerheads on this page are showing little difference between their understanding of America and its freedom and the display of loyalty shown from North America.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on May 30, 2012 at 10:11am
  Encinomom
  I proudly defend your right to ingest more bath salts, and will do a jig with will.i.am, not a double ententre, as soon as you max out. We get the freedom and rights, just not his slack ass excuse, much like your’s when defending the dregs of the left. Glad he is in your tent, slackers unite.
  
  Report this comment
- VoteBushIn12
  Posted on May 30, 2012 at 11:00am
  @RangerP
  
  Students of today are way smarter than students of 50 years ago. The reason we are scoring lower on the charts is because they are evaluated against a curve. We are RELATIVELY not exceeding other nations, but are, ourselves, improving.
  
  Look, I agree we should be improving the school system. My graduate program is about 80% international students (mostly India and China as it’s an Engineering discipline) and I am amazed how much they learned, retained, and can recall at a moments notice – especially in the Maths and Sciences as you pointed out.
  
  There are definite areas of improvement we can be making, but forcing students to stand for the pledge is probably not one of them.
  
  Nice try.
  
  Report this comment
biffo
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:17pm
Another example of ‘the man’ holding a black man down. I’m sure he would have all A’s if it weren’t for the discrimination he feels, everyday. What does his father have to say about this chicken-sh** behaviour? Oh, nevermind….

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- t00nces2
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:38pm
  I am sure he will be on the top of the “go to” guys for a job opening. No way an employer could resist a go getter like him.
  
  Report this comment
- loriann12
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:00pm
  I stood for the pledge and National anthem even when I could barely get to church because of cancer treatment.
  
  Report this comment
- Independent4233
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:03pm
  Not standing for the National Anthem…and/OR not placing a hand over the heart…. is a worse display of anti-Americanism, and there’s numerous blacks who refuse to do that, like El Presidente for one.
  
  And, how about the black basketball players who say they’re not going to stand for that “racist flag.”
  
  They’re GIVEN more freebies and privileges than any other race in the country, but it’s still not enough for them.
  
  It’s not racism that they object to. It’s the fact they want everyone out of here but blacks. Only then would they stand for the National Anthem, and, of course, it would have to be changed in tune and wording to something that sounded like it came out of the jungle.
  
  Report this comment
- turkey13
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:06pm
  This little wimp that jogs and then can’t stand for 9 seconds has no business jogging. I think he had a **** up his rear and was just rebelling. Sounds like he give mom and dad the finger if they ask him to do something and he doesn’t feel like doing it.
  
  Report this comment
- GO-FOR-LIBERTY
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:23pm
  Obama did say that he had two sons.
  
  Report this comment
- Unix
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:05pm
  It’s a SIGN OF RESPECT you communist!!!!!! You mean you ran a whole nine minutes ROFLMAO, my son and daughter are your age an run for cross country and track, they routinely run 60 minutes a day, and I bet far outpacing your jog/walk. You are a wimp and a traitor!
  
  Report this comment
- Wolf
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:46pm
  ‘Tired from jogging to school.’ What a line of B-S. He, his mother and any school officials who support that whiny behavior shuld be flogged then tarred and feathered and run out of town on a rail.
  
  Report this comment
- 4truth2all
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:59pm
  Yo Lorianne12:
  
  I hope the treatment went well …
  
  Report this comment
- rederthanyou
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 7:12pm
  Are you implying he likes chicken?
  
  Report this comment
- RLTW
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 7:12pm
  Learning respect comes with a bit of conformity, unless this kid just finished a marathon stand up and show respect and maybe the sacrifice of others will a some point be made clear to you.
  
  On the other hand you could have your mommy write a note so you can remain a $h_tbag.
  
  Report this comment
- rangerp
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 8:00pm
  If Fred Douglas could come back from the dead, I believe he would slap this boy so hard upside the head, he would make teeth rattle. I believe Booker T would do the same.
  
  Report this comment
- soybomb315
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 8:50pm
  “I recognize the Republican party as the sheet anchor of the colored man’s political hopes and the ark of his safety.” Frederick Douglass
  
  Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/f/frederick_douglass.html#Zffh0OftrspFpdMi.99
  
  Report this comment
- HoneyBager7x7
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:40pm
  @rederthanyou
  
  Whats wrong with Chicken?
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:18am
  This will be the same guy who is “too tired” to do his job.
  
  Report this comment
Steel
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:14pm
Wouldn’t you know it. One black kid doesn’t get his way and he WAA, WAA, WAA’s to his momma. Long-established etiquette rules followed by millions upon millions of Americans during our long history and this one poor, tired child wants an exception to the rules. Too tired, he complains. Wouldn’t you know it! Could it be a cultural “thang”?

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- Watermain
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:27pm
  He’s more “special” than all the rest of us.
  
  Report this comment
- chips1
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:46pm
  If everyone wears a purple shirt and you wear a green shirt, you are Not being singled out. You are singling yourself out. You don’t belong to a group because you don’t want to belong. It’s your right. It’s also my right to associate with you or not. That’s my decision.
  
  Report this comment
- dublinthewagons
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:46am
  Try that in a communist country and see how long you live. He truly has very little self respect, and none for others.
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:37pm
  It wasn’t the African flag.
  
  Report this comment
possom
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:09pm
I’m sick of these commie’s, throw him out!

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- vox_populi
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:44pm
  Fun fact: the Pledge was written by a Socialist.
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Bellamy
  
  Report this comment
- OklahomaBound
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:20pm
  vox_populi
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:44pm
  
  Fun fact: the Pledge was written by a Socialist.
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  
  Even if it were written by a socialist is there anything in the Pledge that even remotely sounds like it supports the tenets of socialism, especially the part about being One Nation UNDER GOD or pledging allegiance to a country socialists hate? I’ll help you out, the answer is NO.
  
  Report this comment
- vox_populi
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:57pm
  “Even if it were written by a socialist”
  
  It was. I linked it. Just click the link and read.
  
  “especially the part about being One Nation UNDER GOD”
  
  You mean the part added in the 1950s by the Catholics? Which God, by the way? ‘Cause I’ve heard that ‘there is no God but Allah,’ so I mean, it’s not really clear, is it?
  
  “pledging allegiance to a country”
  
  Well who’s the Statist now? (Hint: the answer is conservatives. For all their ‘freedom’ nonsense, it’s always been conservatives.)
  
  Report this comment
- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:58pm
  OKLAHOMABOUND — the fact it is a loyalty pledge that some here demand be recited or face deportation and/or violence very much resembles communism.
  
  Report this comment
- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:58pm
  POSSOM — starting with you.
  
  Report this comment
- Wolf
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:54pm
  @ Vox… “…“pledging allegiance to a country”…”
  Uh, Vox- why don’t you say the Pledge of Alleigiance and see what we say the pledge to.
  “I pledge allegiance to the flag… and to the Republic for which it stands…” Not a country, but a flag and republican way of life. Not that it matters to libs and commies- the only thing they pledge allegiance to is satan.
  
  Report this comment
- ahull15
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 7:00pm
  Don’t sweat it Oklahoma. It’s tough arguing with stupid. You pledge allegiance to our great nation and are accused of communism and socialism. They condemn the pledge and think of themselves as patriotic. Makes sense.
  
  Report this comment
- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:56pm
  AHULL — Tell us, what is more patriotic? Demands that one make a loyalty oath, in violation of the Constitution? Or defending the Constitution?
  
  Report this comment
- gperky
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:16am
  @Vox
  “especially the part about being One Nation UNDER GOD”
  God is not a Pronoun, it is a noun. That is why it is used here so you can pledge allegiance to whomever your god might be. You certainly serve a god just not the one I serve. This is America, not the Netherlands. We are proud of this country and most are willing to die for this country and your freedom. You can at least stand and pledge alligiance or get out!
  
  Report this comment
- PatrickW
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:24pm
  OKBOUND – The “under God” bit was added to the pledge of allegiance was added 50 years after the pledge was written by Bellamy.
  
  Report this comment
- holy ghostbuster
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:30pm
  No mention of God in the original pledge. Hmm?
  
  Report this comment
Copper Catfish
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:09pm
I’ll bet he has a history of defying authority at school.

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- chips1
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:53pm
  He is probably out of breath from pulling a Treyvon. Run, Treyvon, run!!!
  
  Report this comment
- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:25am
  You mean “Run, Ray, run.” “Jog, Ray, jog???”
  
  Report this comment
- VanceUppercut
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:59am
  @Copper Catfish
  
  I’ll bet you have a history of people in old women’s windows.
  
  Report this comment
Small World
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:09pm
Wimp! Stand for the pledge.

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- CatB
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:27pm
  I agree .. I ‘m not buying the too tired cr*p .. it is 9 seconds .. man UP!
  
  Report this comment
- Elena2010
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:35pm
  How far does he live fm school? At 17 yrs old, and not obviously fat, he should be able to stand for the time it takes to pledge.
  
  Woosssy!
  
  Report this comment
- Reagangirl81
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:35pm
  This was not about him being too tired, it was about him being lazy and defiant. This mother is doing her son no favors by allowing him to sit out the “nine second” pledge.
  
  Report this comment
- DGuy
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 8:48pm
  His ****** must be hurting…
  
  Report this comment
- Gonzo
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:10pm
  If they used one of those flags with Obama’s mug on it he’d stand. Count on it.
  
  Report this comment
BeingThere
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:07pm
If it were up to me, if you won’t stand for the pledge, you lose your citizenship and are immediately deported. No trial!!!

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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:06pm
  Good thing it is not up to you then. There is nothing in the Constitution that demands one make any sort of pledge to a flag.
  
  Report this comment
- kat747
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:29pm
  Deportation for not respecting the flag and this country might not be in the US Constitution,
  but these Barry Sortoro brainwashed types who love this new and improved form of communism, marxism, socialism, liberalism, progressive New World Order are getting out of bounds.
  Get used to respecting the flag of the USA & the US Constitution or get out !
  Deal with a little of your own medicine. Perhaps it is time to limit freedom of speech and get
  rid of all this anti-USA propaganda. Let’s turn the tables around.
  
  Report this comment
- Incredulous321
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 7:20pm
  Alright, that’s enough! Tell us Bruce what do you pledge allegiance to? I’d run through the same litany as the real Americans on this site, but there’s no need, because I’m sure your only allegiance is to yourself. No God, no country. Probably not even loyal to your family. Just your magnificent, MENSA self. Get out of here and go ruin someone elses Memorial Day. You know, the day when we honor our fallen heroes. Not the day when we honor disrespectful little A-Holes. I’ll bet that if this kid were about to be beat up by scornful classmates he’d run to the cops to protect him. Like it or not (and we don’t) you live and might have even been born in the U.S. You’ll take advantage of everything you can and provide nothing. Amazing for someone that probably believes in the collective. Go TROLL somewhere else you cheese whiz mucking, (probably govvy cheese) smart mouthed, hypocritical, loser. I’ve got to get back to the U.S. kicking the world’s **** on the history channel.
  
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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:48pm
  KAT — then get out, as you do not respect the Constitution.
  
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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:42pm
  INCREDULOUS — I gladly and happily recite the pledge of allegiance, because I genuinely believe it and sincerely love what it represents. However, because I belief and love, I will not demand that others do the same as me.
  
  Loyalty oaths do not make one a “real American.” However, making demands that one recite such things, in violation of their First Amendment rights, makes you anything but. If you have no respect for the Constitution and the rights of others, it shows your own lack of patriotism.
  
  I find it rather amusing you use Mensa membership, therefore high intelligence, as an insult. And it is rather pathetic that disagreement with someone on the internet is ruining your memorial day.
  
  You are right, though…Memorial Day is the day to remember the fallen who fought for our rights. What better way to remember them than by exercising our rights and defending the rights of others?
  
  If this kid were being beat-up by his classmates, he’d have every right to seek the protection of school authorities and baring that, law enforcement.
  
  You call me a troll…the general accepted definition is someone who post inflammatory and controversial statements but to cause a disruptive emotional response. A sincere statement of opinion, no matter how controversial, is not considered trolling. However, using insults, such as ” Go cheese whiz mucking, (probably govvy cheese) smart mouthed, hypocritical, loser,” is trolling.
  
  I’m curious though…how a
  
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- Incredulous321
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:37am
  Alright. Since you are bound and determined let’s discuss this. I spent twenty serving my country. I’ve saluted the flag thousands of times, and before that I said the Pledge of Allegiance proudly. You are quite correct that a person has a right not to say the pledge in this country. There are countries were you would be jailed or even killed for being nonconformative, but not here. We don’t Pledge to be conformative, but because we recognize how lucky we are to be Americans, we’re proud of our country, and we feel we have a responsibility to those before us to keep it safe, beautiful, and prosperous for those that comeafter us. Pledging the flag, in my opinion is not a “loyalty oath’ in the sense I believe you are using the term. It’s more a visual and verbal connection to the country of your birth, not an acknowledgement of subserviance to an all powerful government that wants to control your life. And, thanks to the constitution, you can’t be jailed for failing to recognize America. You can on the other hand be rediculed. The people here that are insulted by this boys disrespectful treatment of our traditions also have a right to speak their mind. I think I speak for many that say we’re tired of seeing our traditions defamed. That’s not unconstitutional. Tradition is part of nationhood and culture, and, hence nationality. Unfortunately the thoughtless destruction of these tenants is becoming the norm. The United States of America will only survive if…(Cont)
  
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- Incredulous321
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 11:47am
  …have symbols and ideas and emotional ties to rally around. Under President Obama we’ve become a nation of people that find it entertaining to rip into each other, our traditions, and the country to shreads. It’s wrong. We should set an example for the world, not make ourselves look stupid by being petty and childish.
  As for my comments about you, I used the MENSA reference because I could see you are educated. But, like a salmon swimming upstream, you decided to keep annoying people all day just to get your jollies. I just didn’t appreciate the iritation on Memorial Day. I will say this. You were for the most part respectful, with the exception of calling everybody racist and anti-constitution. But, in my humble opinion, you are WRONG! and appear very left leaning, which doesn’t always fly well on this site, especially when you are being so madly persistant.
  
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- Incredulous321
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 1:25pm
  PS. First, sorry about the spelling errors. I got carried away and didn’t proof what I wrote. Second, I’m not sure kids have full rights.They should certainly think twice before being controversial, and anti-American. I can’t say how this kids teachers, school district, or parents are going to deal with this. If he was my kid we would be having a very long conversation, mostly one sided.
  
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Goldi
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:06pm
I wonder what religion they claim so he can sit out forever.

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soybomb315
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:06pm
When you think about all the things government schools have taken away from us – it is surprising that they have left the pledge of allegiance.

However, i think the liberals see it more as a tool to keep us in line

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- AUsername
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:26pm
  its used as a practice of submission to authority now a days.
  
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- vox_populi
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:45pm
  The pledge was written by a Socialist. Why would we take it out?
  
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- Inlightofthings
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:58pm
  USER:
  That comment must from some form of training or indoctrination you’ve received. Patriotism at its core is has no party affiliation now does it. Have you been taught about Federalism at all?
  
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- Altair
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 5:52pm
  “…a tool…” “…keep us in submission… .”
  
  Some of you young pansy-assed $hits make me want to puke.
  
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Goldi
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:01pm
I guess he looks like a boy who could be one of obama’s sons.

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- JACKTHETOAD
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 8:33pm
  He looks like something I’d wipe after he jumped outa my ass playin’ a bass fiddle.
  
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barnsy
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:01pm
Incapable of standing up ? Bull**** ! This is one of the lamest excuses i’ve ever heard. Maybe this lazy, disrespectful little punk should get whacked in the knees to remind him of all the wounded soldiers who cant stand.

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- Watermain
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:17pm
  Like that idea.
  
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- tuchux
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:32pm
  Better yet maybe he could lose them legs ,so he dont stand for nothing. The way it should be
  
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kickagrandma
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:00pm
You have the privilege of living in this country, you damn well stand up when you say our Pledge of Allegiance, when we sing our National Anthem, and when you are led in prayer, period.

You don’t like to do those things, then leave. Now. OR, better still get this life lesson down pat.
Your need to learn respect and honor supersedes your “right” to do anything else until that first lesson is well learned.

Quit acting like a spoiled two year old, grab some maturity and be one of us, a REAL AMERICAN.

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- vox_populi
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:46pm
  “You don’t like to do those things, then leave. Now. OR, better still get this life lesson down pat.
  Your need to learn respect and honor supersedes your “right” to do anything else until that first lesson is well learned.”
  
  I’ve never understood this about conservatives. Semantically, you’re always ‘freedom this, freedom that’ but when push comes to shove you always side with authority, hierarchy, and dominance.
  
  The ‘Freedom’ to ‘Rule,’ I suppose…
  
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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:07pm
  KICKAGRANDMA — please point to where in the Constitution it says one must say a pledge or stand for a song in order to be a citizen?
  
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- Inlightofthings
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:42pm
  Every community needs some level of social order. A man dressing as a woman and demanding use of a womens bathroom is such an example. There are many more…
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 9:04pm
  Pox
  It is quite clear the only uniform you would don would be black bloc. Wear your black bloc underoos with pride and keep your nose up as long as you can.
  
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- UnsilentMajority
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 10:58pm
  Let me guess Vox….
  
  Ron Paul fan?
  
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- RebelPatriot
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 11:27pm
  Vox,
  When you stand for the pledge or the anthem you are not standing for your government. You are standing for your country. If you have no love of country then find a new one.
  
  It’s not about being ruled by the government, it’s about showing respect for the land that you live.
  
  No respect for the land that you live, then move to a country you can respect.
  
  Too many men and women who respected this country have died to provide this young man the opportunity to live in a free land. If he doesn’t want to respect his country and honor those who have died to provide him with his way of life move to another country he can honor.
  
  This is just the tip of the ice berg for the progressive socialists who don’t want citizens of this country showing any love of country or honor for this country. They want us to be apart of a one world government controlling all our decisions and taking all our freedoms.
  
  You can attempt to be apathetic and not show any pride in your country, but when too many decide to do so, the remaining freedoms we do have will be taken away by the socialists.
  
  I’m sure this makes the progressives very happy to see someone not want to show their patriotism toward their country. He’s not the first and won’t be the last. In 20 years if he doesn’t have the freedom to purchase a home, drive a car or live where he wants, he will be wishing he stood to defend this nation from the people who wish to destroy it.
  
  Unfortunately it will be too lat
  
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- phil1765
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 4:26am
  Bruce P.
  It is a school *******, nobody is forcing the kid to say the pledge all you idiot libs have made sure that we can’t teach the kids any respect for anything this country stands for, but for God’s sake at least he can stand his lazy ass up and not disrespect everyone else that is in the classroom trying to show some respect for the country. It isn’t all about you, or your lazy ass children.
  
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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:54am
  REBELPATRIOT — You say those men and women fought and died for us to be a free country. Yet you demand that someone make a loyalty pledge or have to leave the country. That vision is not of a free nation. You are cynically using the sacrifices of our fighting men and women to coerce others to your will, spitting in the face of what they fought for.
  
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- Bruce P.
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 9:59am
  PHIL — if they are singling him out, then yes, they are trying to force him to say the pledge. He has the right not to stand, for whatever reason he wishes. If he sits there quietly, and lets others do it, he is not being disruptive, he is being respectful. However, if the teachers are singling him out, then THEY are being disruptive and disrespectful; not only of him and his rights, but what the flag stands for.
  
  And you should have enough respect for what the flag stands for to let people exercise their rights without the threat of force or coercion.
  
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BurntHills
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:54pm
in other words, his god obama has incited him to see how far he can push the free publicity and notoriety of insulting Amerian Tradition.
like maybe obama will notice him and invite him to the WH.

and at 17 in 10th Grade [jeesh.. will he be 22 when he graduates HS?] he sure looks plenty fit enough to be able to simply STAND UP during the 9 whole SECONDS it takes to say AMERICA’S Pledge of Allegiance. bet he was plenty hiphop enough to jack his **** down the hallways in triumph tho.

it’s all about thinking he is better than the American Tradition and getting free PR over it. that despicable little animal… AND his mother.

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- LIBSALWAYSLIE
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:03pm
  Cant stand for ten seconds then dont jog to school you moron. Not that I believe the lie.
  
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suedstate
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:54pm
He looks like the only place he jogs to is the fridge.

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Watermain
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:49pm
To be such a slimeball at his age…who knows what he’ll be like if he ever grows up.

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- thecid100
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:50pm
  He’ll be filing lawsuits because he didn’t get jobs he wasn’t qualified for.
  
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:48pm
While I have a number of disagreements with the way many of the teachers have acted and reacted in stories that have been pointed out here. This one really makes me think, along with listening to Joe Pags’ thoughts this morning. The teacher in no way tried to harm or berate this child. The request for him to stand during the pledge did not mean that he was required to participate, but rather that he not be a distraction to good order and discipline to the other students. That teacher is in charge of that classroom all through the day, and as long as their is no abuse the teacher has the authority to maintain that afore mentioned good order and discipline. The teacher did not violate his 1st Amendment rights of free speech or expression. What’s he going to do shout out the F-Word at top of his lungs and his mom is going to scream 1st Amendment rights? I think not. He has no particular right to stir trouble in the classroom. Also, as I heard elsewhere about this, he was offered the ability to step outside the classroom so that the pledge would not offend him if he had no desire to participate.
What would have happened if the teacher had shouted “Fire Drill?’ Is he just going to sit there and claim it’s his 1st Amendment rights? As Joe pointed out today, and this goes for any of you libs out there that happen to have a job. What are going to do if your boss or immediate supervisor calls you into his office, that he needs to have a discussion with you? Continued…

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:53pm
  Are you going to tell the boss, not this time, I’m tired and am going to sit this one out. Yeah, that will go over like a turd in a punch bowl won’t it? How long will you expect to keep your job if you did that? It is as I said earlier, somebody has to maintain a good order and disciplinary balance.
  
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sawbuck
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:47pm
I call B.S on this kid ..your suppose to walk off a run ,not find a lounge chair.

I bet if they were passing out free skittles and ice tea he would find the energy to get off his A$$.

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- wakeus_com
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:02pm
  FYI – It wasn’t iced tea. It was Arizona Watermelon drink. That, plus Skittles (or Jolly Ranchers), plus codine or Robitussin – makes a concoction similar to what the worthless druggies in Hip-hop culture call “Lean,” or “Purple Drank,” or “Sizyurp.”
  
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- OhSnappage
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:00pm
  9 sec… it was too unbearable to stand and show respect because it was …9 sec…I’d make the punk do two laps around the track and come back and recite the pledge all alone in front of the class.
  
  Excuse makers should be put to task.
  
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- sueacworth
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 6:24pm
  Don’t forget the” Hoodie.” If you don’t want to pledge allegiance to America then get out of America, go to Africa it is sooooooo much better there.
  
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ICEDRAGONNITE
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:47pm
If you don’t respect your self or your fallen relatives then I say I have no respect for you. If you could run to school you could at least lean on your desk and give the Nation its due. So stop complaining and take your medicine and grow up.

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- RamonPreston
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:49pm
  He didn’t run, he jogged. Big difference. As a X-country runner in school I know the difference. When I was a kid I could run 6 (or miles) and not even breath hard when I stopped.
  
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cookcountypatriot
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:47pm
stand you little ingrate!

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- Link8on
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 7:55am
  The School system gets tax payer money.
  
  His mom should understand that she has not yet been singled out.
  
  A community should consider whether the taxes she (no mention of dad) pays is worth the trouble of having her son (and possibly any other kids) disrupting the other students in class.
  
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PATTY HENRY
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:45pm
Where do you find these creepy stories?

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PASSIONFORCHRIST
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:45pm
Good single him out! YOU LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY “HONOR IT” OR GET THE HELL OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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- wvernon1981
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:56pm
  Why should one honor this country? I like living here, I have ties to this country, but I’m not sure why I should honor it. Honor seems like another woo word people like to use to elicit a certain emotional response but at the end of the day doesn’t mean anything.
  
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- Oldphoto678
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:09pm
  Pi$$ OFF!!!!
  
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- wvernon1981
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:19pm
  “Pi$$ OFF!!!!”
  
  Well aren’t you intelligent. I’m sorry I’m not solely interested in your team.
  
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- RedDirtTexas
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:23pm
  @ WVERNON1981…..You know what I hate? Parrots! People like you who hear a catchy little phrase like, “at the end of the day”, to try to sound hip! How about, “it is what it is”? Got that one in your little bag of filler phrases to prop up your illiteracy? How about, “having said that”..? Good God man, just speak! You don’t know what honoring the country means? Read more and talk less!
  
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- wvernon1981
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:30pm
  Maybe you should read and think more and react slower. You might actually post something of substance.
  
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- RedDirtTexas
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:59pm
  @ WVERNON1981 And having said that, at the end of the day, it is what it is! There’s something substantive for you! Now honor my country by shutting your pie hole!
  
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- wvernon1981
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:06pm
  I’ll stand for the pledge and honor the country if you can tell me why it matters.
  
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AUsername
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:42pm
most people at my school never stood up for the pledge because they were tired and half a sleep. nobody should be required to stand or say if they don’t want to. At my zero tolerance school, they didn’t care whether you stood or not for pledge as long as you shut up for a minute.

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- Watermain
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:53pm
  Must have been a public school.
  
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- AUsername
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:00pm
  yes it was ran by the state and also considered a school of excellence by the state. private schools are a rip off and not worth it now.
  
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- Watermain
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:22pm
  Maybe not, but they teach kids to stand for the Pledge.
  
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- AUsername
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 4:36pm
  i guess some folks care and others don’t.
  
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- Just in time
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:23pm
  Where did you go to school? Europe?
  
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- AUsername
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:36pm
  No USA, not all schools or teachers care about the pledge.
  
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- Inlightofthings
  Posted on May 28, 2012 at 5:49pm
  The nail that stands up, gets hammered down…
  
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- Haze
  Posted on May 29, 2012 at 12:46pm
  people in this country take it for granted and don’t respect it enough to even stand for 10 seconds. What lazy, no good, ungrateful pukes you spoiled kids are! Have some respect!
  
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blanco5
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:42pm
Wow, what a shocker that he shares the same views as the white black prez islama.

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Atilla
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:42pm
Expel the bastard.

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blackyb
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:39pm
Make his sorry azz go home and get some sleep and give him a zero for that day in all classes he missed. He can make that up over time. He is wanting to start a disrespect trend.

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