“I pledge allegiance,” said a third of Miss Bolinger’s 130 Students... Why just a third?

The first day of school, I was amazed by the sound of my own voice as the pledge was said over the announcements. Out of my 30 students in my first period, I was the only one saying the pledge. I waited a few weeks, tried to see if saying it louder would encourage students to also participate, but still, the echo reverberating off desks was still my mezzo-soprano voice. Why?

I had always been taught when the pledge is being said, you stand and say it. I was always taught that when the National Anthem is being played, you stand, sometimes with your hand over your heart, sometimes singing. I was always taught that, even if you don’t agree with the statement, “under God,” you still stand and say the pledge. So what was holding my 30 students back?

We just finished a lesson on Patrick Henry’s “Speech to the Virginia Convention,” in which, Patrick Henry firmly establishes his position on wanting freedom above all else. I talked about how soldiers have fought for our freedom, and how we stand on the lives and shoulders of those who have given up their lives so we could feel safe in the freedoms that are granted. Students began to look slightly guilty because just seconds before I began talking about the gravity of the sacrifice soldiers have made, I asked them a different question.

For the bell work, students were asked to answer why the do or don’t say the pledge. I asked for their honesty, and I told them I was genuinely curious. I received a variety of answers.

Student 1: “Honestly I don't say it because I'm to tired too.” *(Don’t even get me started on the laziness and lack of grammatical knowledge my students possess).

Student 2: “I don’t see the point, and I don’t care.”

Student 3: “It’s just too early in the morning to speak and I get tired of saying the same thing every morning of my life.”

Student 4: “I stand up during the pledge out of respect for the people who fight for our country, but I don't put my hand over my heart, because we aren't truly free. I say this because we get promised all these freedoms in the bill of rights, but they have all gotten taken away from this.”

Student 5: “Honestly, I think it’s a little weird that we pledge ourselves to our country. When we were little kids, before we were even taught what 1+1 was, we were taught to say the pledge every single day. I recently found it very strange and decided not say the pledge.”

Student 6: “Well, honestly I don't stand for the pledge because I refuse to pledge to a failing country, that lost most of the morals that made it so great.”

Student 7: “I think that kids are afraid of what people might say to them if they do say the pledge and try to do the right thing.”

Student 8: “It has to do with the people who say the pledge. They don’t make me feel as if I stand for something greater. They talk so unmotivated it makes me not want to say it.”

Student 9: “I don’t have a legitimate reason as to why I don’t say it, I just don’t.”

Student 10: “I said the pledge for years and I feel like standing and being quiet with my hand over my heart is the same thing rather than sitting there and not doing anything.”

Now before you send me care packages because you are sorry for me and the kids I am dealing with in my classroom, (although, I do love chocolate), I want to share some of the answers that helped redeem some of the lack of allegiance I have seen.

Student 1: “I am in JROTC and I always respect those who have and continue to give their lives for the freedom and people within our country. My cousin is currently serving in Africa and I have two very close friends that either are or are soon to be in basic training. So, I always pay my respect and I normally say the pledge out loud.”

Student 2: “I do say the pledge in the morning when the people on the announcements lead us, I just don’t say it out loud, I say it very quietly because I don’t want to be the only one saying it.”

Student 3: “Well I stand up and I say the pledge and the people that don’t say the pledge are disgracing the freedoms they have. It was under that flag millions have died to get our freedom and to protect it and they don’t take the time to just stand up and say a couple of words. So I actually get fairly mad that they don’t just say a couple of words.”

Student 4: “I always say the pledge because I am proud to be an American.”

Student 5: “I do and have always have said the pledge! No matter what!”

Student 6: “I do say the pledge. I have even done the pledge on the announcements. I care about our country, and I pledge to it every day. I think people who don’t respect our country, are a disgrace to our country and should be thrown out, If they don’t respect our country, then they don't need to live here.”

Student 7: “I say each and every day. I say it softly but I do say it.”

Student 8: “I always say the pledge because I'm an American. It's just the right thing to do.”

Student 9: “I do say the pledge in the morning. The reason I say the pledge is because I have respect for our country. I am thankful for all the men and women that have fought for our freedom. I think some people are just too lazy to say it, and don’t really think about it. They would think about it a lot more if they knew what it felt like to live like some of the people in like North Korea or Iraq and Afghanistan.”

Student 10: “I say the pledge in the morning not only because it's respectful but because we are in a free country and that freedom is not given without hardships and our us military fighting. therefore I say the pledge to this great nation and to God. I am thankful for everything we have and the freedoms we have.”

I do not agree with a lot of what our nation is currently doing. I don’t agree with some of the laws that have recently been made. I am not necessarily looking forward to the upcoming election; however, I am thankful for a place where I have freedom. Freedom comes with stipulations -- as does anything; however, I understand that paying respect to the country, the people who have sacrificed, and taking a moment to be thankful are all things I need to participate in as an American citizen.

I look forward to listening in the morning -- waiting for some more gusto that comes with saying the pledge. As a teacher, I want my students to have opinions and questions and a place to discuss those; however, I don’t think anyone in Miss Bolinger’s Junior English classes will be so apt to openly disrespect the nation again -- without thinking through their actions first.