Reader comments
Law sought to require classroom flags

Our legislature is extremely out of touch with Utah schools. I wonder how many of them have visited schools extensively. I haven't been in a public school that doesn't have a flag in every classroom, and what good is a copy of the Declaration of Independence really going to do other than decorate the wall with an old looking piece of parchment. Kids learn about the Revolutionary War in their respective history classes and having it on the wall is not going to make one more patriotic. The best thing that can be done to boost our nationalistic pride is to do great things. Put a man on Mars, make nuclear fusion work, innovate and create and set national goals rather than run around like rats in a maze trying to make a quick buck. We don't need our government leaders telling us to be patriotic by looking at the past over and over, we need them to help create an America that everyone can be proud of right now in the present and the future.

No problem , the flag and the TRUE PLEDGE to the USA

I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

October 11, 1892

And lasted until 1953.
The greatest wars were fought with the greatest people with out these words. Did they care?

We all enjoy the fruits of the labors of those founding fathers and of the sacrifices our troops made. Let us be patriotic and teach patriotism in our schools. This is our land; let us appreciate it.

Those teachers should incorporate the American historical documents into their lesson plans -- (a comparative-contrast paper about the Mayflower Compact and Article I of the U.S. Constitution) or a discussion in communications using speeches by Lincoln (the Gettysburg Address) and Faubus (his pro-segregation speech during the Little Rock high-school integration problems) -- would be of far greater impact than whatever the legislature could suggest.

Don't the buffoons in our Legislature have anything better to do than to try to force patriotism?

This is idiotic! Why don't the buffoons in the legislature focus on raising wages in Utah so that all Utahns will have a decent living and support their families. Now that's patriotic!

I once spoke to a former state Legislator who told me that when a bill came to her desk the first thing she asked was what is the problem that this is deigned to solve if it was not really a problem she voted against it. This bill sure would fail the is it a problem test.

come on people especially our Legislature deal with real problems and quit this silly nothing Legislature. I realize you think you know it all all and have to have a say on everything but get serious. I for one plan to vote for a non incumbent this coming year

The genesis for America centered on SMALL government. I find legislators expanding our laws to force patriotism a stark contrast to our Founders intent!

As Jefferson said, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." but laws are not the way to create vigilance!!

Whose version of patriotism should be the one forced upon the schools? Francis Bellamy, the author of the first Pledge of Allegiance, was a nationalist and a socialist (does that sound familiar? Nationalist/Socialist?) whose intent was to indoctrinate children for the purpose of looking forward to a utopian state where all things were owned by the government. And what about the Constitution? Will children be taught the original Constitution or the mangled and emasculated version that exists today?

Good thought, wrong approach. Patriotism is something that is nurtured over years and is an individual choice. Every U.S. citizen should develope their own Patriotism through reading, seeing and learning about our wonderful country, not just is a school setting.

A Colorado geography teacher was placed on paid administrative for hanging several flags from other countries in his classroom.

Eric Hamlin said the flags were part of a world geography lesson plan and refused to take them down. The school's principal escorted Hamlin out of class Wednesday morning after he refused to remove the flags of China and Mexico.

The school district placed him on administrative leave for insubordination, citing a Colorado law that makes it illegal to display foreign flags permanently in schools.

In my classroom I have a flag, our nation�s motto, a copy of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence on the wall. We speak in depth about the documents, engage in group activities to analyze the documents, and look at case studies so that the students can apply the past to the present. Students who come from loving, nurturing homes are the quickest to see the relevance to their own lives, and their responsibility to the future. I love my job, and part of that job is to help those who don�t care to begin to care. I like the fact that it was my choice to put these objects on display in my classroom. � Great ideas don�t have to be mandated � just encouraged.

This is good news. We need to require prayer in class as well.

Patriotism, like all values, is best taught in the home. It is the role of the schools to provide academic instruction and to support, rather than undermine, family values. Patriotism is a family value and the current curriculum is sufficient to support children's growing affection for and devotion to our country--given that parents are teaching this at home. In the absence of parental guidance, no amount of legislation will significantly impact the role of schools in the development of patriotism or even an understanding our our founding documents or founders' sacrifices.

You must glorify war in order to get the public to accept the fact that your going to send their sons and daughters to die.

This is what Hollywood understands and has been doing (for profit) for years and people are buying it.

Last time I checked, the Bill of Rights was part of the constitution. Maybe that's the problem. If every citizen actually had the 9th and 10th amendments to the Constitution memorized, government wouldn't be able o get away with half of the nonsense they pull.

As far as him using the Constitution as an example, but not including it. Well, I'll admit this is bigoted for me to assume this, but I honestly can't think of another reason. The Constitution doesn't reference God, so it doesn't support the traditional Utah Republican agenda of trying to force Christianity into the classroom any way they can. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But why would you honestly leave out the most important document ever written in our history. I wonder what would happen if we taught our young kids that 'under God' was not in the original pledge before we taught them the pledge. Now that the nation is no longer frothing at the mouth with McCarthyism and trying to separate ourselves from the Godless Commies, I wonder if everyone would be so quick to liberally interpret the Establishment Clause. I was pretty ticked to learn that bit of history was left out.

As with everything else, people always take things too far.
Same with flags.

What's Britt's first of fourteen points of fascism?

1. Powerful and continuing expressions of nationalism. From the prominent displays of flags and bunting to the ubiquitous lapel pins, the fervor to show patriotic nationalism, both on the part of the regime itself and of citizens caught up in its frenzy, was always obvious. Catchy slogans, pride in the military, and demands for unity were common themes in expressing this nationalism. It was usually coupled with a suspicion of things foreign that often bordered on xenophobia.

(Google it for the other 13 points)

Don't the politicians have anything better to do? The legislature needs to stop passing these spending initiatives. We need less government not more.

I attended a school that required the pledge every morning. Students recited it as a rote, mindless activity every morning, mumbling and stumbling over the words because we had to. This proposed bill is perhaps well-intentioned, but has the formula completely backwards. I became a patriot after studied American history in college and learned of the great sweep of our nation's history - the roots of our government in Enlightenment rationalism, the centuries long struggle over slavery and racism, the 18th and 19th century feminists who fought for a woman's right to vote, get an education and be treated equally to men, the progressive movement that fought against giant corporate dominance of our nation's politics, the union members who laid their lives on the line for a fair wage and 40 hour work week, the civil rights activists - black and white, male and female - who loved America enough to call us to a true vision of equality.

Reciting the pledge every day may make some peopel feel better but it won't create patriots.