Texas is known for its largesse and its bravado with its brilliant litter campaign which came to reflects the state’s base attitude: Don’t Mess With Texas. However, it appears that its Attorney General, Ken Paxton has decided to wage a losing battle by defending a state statute which requires children to stand for the pledge of allegiance. This is a losing battle because the United States Supreme Court has already ruled on this issue in a 1943 case called West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette where the Court explicitly held that students cannot be compelled to participate in the pledge of allegiance. In addition to being a losing battle, it sends a clear message regarding the AG’s thoughts towards Blacks and the validity of challenging systemic racism and police brutality in a way we see fit. That this brave high school student, India Landry, decided to not only continue her protest, but also take her case to court, is heartening. It should also be noted that Landry was not expelled until she dared to not show the proper deference to the principal by refusing to stand for the pledge while in the principal’s office—and not the 200 pervious instances in which Landry had also refused to stand. This decision to show Landry her place is a common one among racist whites who are intent in punishing “uppity” or rebellious Black people. Whether Paxton’s decision was political or not, it is a disgraceful one in which he has revealed his true colors and disregard for the Blacks in his state.
Article below by Shane Croucher at newsweek.com.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton threw his weight behind a school defending itself against a lawsuit brought by a black teenager expelled for refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. The student argues her expulsion is a violation of her constitutional rights.
Read the rest here.
