Article below by Jeffrey Solochek at tampabay.com. In yet another example of white jingoistic fervor in the face of the exercise of one’s rights, a school official reprimanded a young student who had the courage and temerity to refrain from standing during the pledge of allegiance, instead deciding to take a knee. Why teachers, public school ones in particular, continue along this path when the law clearly supports a student’s right to quietly remain seated during the pledge is baffling. It is also telling how threatened whites are by Black people, including children, who engage in overt challenges to racism and America’s claim to exceptionalism. In this case, it is heartening to see that the family has decided to take matters into their own hands by suing the school for damages as a result of this very obviously illegal act. It is important that such incidents of abuse of authority be appropriately punished as a disincentive for their continuance. At least overtly. Too many times we simply express despair at racism; it is time to use the tools already available to exact accountability.
A Pasco County family whose first grader was reprimanded in September for taking a knee while his classmates recited the Pledge of Allegiance has sued the school district, alleging the boy’s teacher violated his constitutional rights.
Read the rest at tampabay.com.
