FHSTheFlash The Flash Volume 54, Issue 1 October 2013 | Page 2

2

Editorial

A New Law Put Into Play
The Flash Online: www.fhstheflash.com

even completely understand the
Pledge,” senior and Jehovah’s Witpledge, yet they are also required to
ness Andrew Sokolowsi said.
Flash Staff Reporter
say it every morning. The Pledge is
In 1943, the West Virginia
an oath to the counWhether or not students are
State Board of Education
“I pledge
try, and if someone
required to say the Pledge of Allev. Barnette Supreme Court
alliegence does not understand
giance in school, most know the oath case decided that because
its full meaning, then
by heart. Should students, then, be
to the
of the Free Speech Clause,
saying it has no purrequired to say the Pledge during
students must be protected
flag...”
pose for them.
school hours? Just last year, a law
from being forced to say
Furthermore, is it
was passed requiring all Michigan
the Pledge of Allegiance in
possible that students
public schools to say the Pledge
school.
will become desensitized toward
sometime each school day.
While schools still do not force
saying the Pledge? While most
There are many people who agree
every student to participate in the
with the new law and some who are
reciting of the flag, one of the advan- people hope not, the Pledge might
become almost meaningless after
indifferent to it, but many also cantages of Separation of Church and
not say the Pledge for one reason or
State is that students do not have an- so long of reciting it day after day.
“One of the roles of being a govanother. The First Amendment guar- other reason to be bullied in school.
ernment teacher is that I’m supantees five freedoms, one of which
“The argument that Democrats
posed to teach in a way that makes
includes freedom of speech. Some
will make is that it’s just another
argue that the new law
thing that makes kids you proud of why we’re doing this
requiring the Pledge to
“...but many can- different from other and make you want to [say the
Pledge],” Boyd said.
be said in schools viokids,” government
not say the
While I am not against saying the
lates the First Amendteacher Robert Boyd
pledge...”
Pledge of Allegiance, I certainly
ment.
said.
don’t want to see the Pledge lose
Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Besides religion,
its meaning in the midst of the new
who are best known for
forced patriotism
law.
preaching door to door,
always comes into
Hoon-Yung Hopgood, the State
are not allowed to salute the flag or
play. Patriotism is an important part
Senator, voted against the new bill
anything else that could be considof our country, no doubt, but should
ered an idol, which makes them unsomeone be forced – or feel like they and said, “One of the things I said
is that I love my country, not beable to say the Pledge.
have to since everyone else is – to
cause I say the Pledge, but I say the
“I stand. I show respect, but I
say the Pledge?
Pledge because I love my country.”
do not give my allegiance to the
Elementary students might not

Lauren Carbonara

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Editor-in-Chief
Savanna Di Stefano

Amy Weed
Laurel Kraus
Karoline Asdal

Editors
Starria Coppins
Josephine Morenski

Web Editor
Lauren Carbonara

Design Editors
Starria Coppins
Savanna DiStefano
Flash Reporters
Lauren Carbonara
Emily Drumn
Anna Stemmler
Courtney Winnie
Rachel Moore

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Courtney Winnie
Business Manager
Erica Kloski
Adviser
James Flanagan

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