A Montgomery County Middle School teacher had a 13-year-old girl escorted from the classroom after she refused to say the Pledge of Allegiance in clear violation of federal law.
Since 1943, it has been clear that children cannot be forced to say the pledge.
The school has apologized, but I am equally concerned about a position taken with the parents that has not been denounced by the school: that the school would refuse to meet with the parents if they brought an attorney. The family said that the school was adamant that, if a lawyer was present, they would not agree to a meeting. It is an outrageous policy designed to force people to forego legal counsel and I would like to know the legal and policy basis for such a rule.
For the full story, click here.
This is indeed a web blog full of erudite superior individuals.
We should all strive to attain your level of humanity and compassion.
“Didnt Mr. Mitchell have a friend with 4 wheel drive transportation? At some point we need to rely on ourselves and less on government.” -Byron
Yea sure. Screw em, right?
Freakin lazy sick dude….too lazy to plow through snow that most four wheel drives were getting stuck in.
Screw em. Let em die. If he can’t “pick em self up by his bootstraps”, then let him die and decrease the surplus population.
Mike S,
I agree with you that except for a very small minority, no one thinks that they are evil – when I said that I thought that evil had to be deliberate, I didn’t mean that someone had to be deliberately committing an act they knew (or thought) to be evil, just that they needed to deliberately commit an evil act (whether or not they consider the act evil doesn’t seem relevant to the act’s morality to me). And I have to disagree with you on team sporting events – for my money, the NCAA basketball tournament is the most exciting. March is here, bring on the madness… Bwa Ha Ha ha!
GO DUKE!
GO SPARTANS!
“in fact if they played this well in the NHL I might actually take up spectating on a regular basis!!”
Congratulations Canadian Eh, it was among the best hockey games I’ve ever seen and Crosby having the winning goal was spectacular.
As for the NHL their problem has always been that too many teams qualify for the Stanley Cup and thus make many regular season games meaningless. Stanley Cup Hockey and Olympic Hockey represent
the most exciting team sports events that I’ve ever experienced and I could never ice skate.
Re: Evil,
It seems to me that most people who do evil and for all intents and purposes are evil, don’t think of themselves that way. I believe Hitler felt he was doing good and actually fighting evil. Many religious Fundamentalists do evil and yet believe they are good. As CE has said much has to do with reaction to one’s upbringing, but sadly there is also a dogmatic component represented by a religion, economic view or philosophy that has great effect. The necessity to believe that those who disagree with you are evil also helps the mix. While there are no doubt some people in the world who revel in being evil I think they are a tiny minority. This makes the evil that humans do even sadder.
He coulda called someone from the United Steelworkers Union.
“Nearly 30 hours later — and 10 calls from the couple to 911, four 911 calls to them and at least a dozen calls between 911 and paramedics — Curtis Mitchell died at his home. His electricity knocked out, his heat long off, the 50-year-old former steelworker waited, huddled beneath blankets on his sofa.”
Didnt Mr. Mitchell have a friend with 4 wheel drive transportation? At some point we need to rely on ourselves and less on government.
Any more curtain calls and the audience is going to get whiplash.
Now a wonderful performance from our hometown girl herself…Avril!
oops… and Good Night Slarti
Slarti,
Glad to be of service ;). I had know idea that atheists had a problem with cursing…now I’ve learned something today too.
AY,
I’m watching the closing ceremonies. Mr Young was amazing as per usual. I’m loving the whole tongue in cheek, make fun of ourselves that they’ve put together. It is soooo Canadaian!!
“I’m in freezing Florida, you know where 200 manatees have died in the last thirty days because they can’t take the global warming.”
“And he changeth the times and the seasons,… he removeth kings and setteth up kings; he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding”
Daniel 2:21
Umbrage? No umbrage here.
Canadian Eh,
For answering the wrong question, you sure gave me excellent insight into the issue I was raising 😉 I think you just argued pretty convincingly that evil has much more to do with environmental than it does with genetics. Which seems to jibe with the whole ‘free will’ thing (I guess if there is a genetic component, then that’s ‘original sin’ – Curse you, Flying Spaghetti Monster! {Atheists have a problem with cursing ;-)}).
AY,
Re Criminal Law and Family Court – nice job bring two different tangents back together. 😉
Gerty,
I think you may be attributing some comments to a larger group than you should. I also might I suggest that, in the future, when someone says something that seems insensitive to you, you should try explaining why the remark was hurtful before taking umbrage.
All,
I’ve got to get some work done now, so goodnight.
Neil Young Canada’s own did a very fine job doing the closing ceremony. That was better than the actual Olympics.
Of course I don’t mean you guys.
You guys r cool.
AY,
Yikes, I don;t envy that at all. Especially the Family Court gig.
Canadian Eh.,
Criminal Law and Family Court. Sometimes one in the same.
I’m sure that will be of great comfort to them.
The mob thought the storm was funny.
The mob ridiculed and mocked me for thinking otherwise.
Well, I hope the mob remembers to drop a note to the family of Curtis Mitchell, who died trapped in his home today, huddling under a blanket to keep warm, to let them know how the event is actually funny, … and how it was “just a little snow”.
And if they do protest, then I’m sure the fine crowd here will be able to remind them that it is no matter, as indeed “people die every day”.
AY,
What type did you practice?