Lawsuit claims student was mocked and shamed by teacher for sitting during pledge

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

HARTFORD, Conn. - A Waterbury teen has sued a teacher and the city's school board, alleging she was "mocked and shamed" for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance, a protest she said was over racial discrimination in the country.

The suit, filed Monday in U.S. District Court, alleges a First Amendment violation and names the teacher at Waterbury Arts Magnet School, Ralph Belvedere, and the district's school board.

The student, an unnamed, 14-year-old black girl, alleges in September and October she and other students were called upon by Belvedere to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the lawsuit reads.

But the girl and other students remained seated in what they said was a "peaceful and non-disruptive expression of their belief that African-Americans suffer from racial discrimination in the United States," according to the lawsuit.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lawsuit-claims-student-was-mocked-and-shamed-by-teacher-for-sitting-during-pledge/ar-BBOyT8l?li=BBnb7Kz

[pennylane100]

1. That teacher should be fired.

[gratuitous]

2. Get out the checkbook

This issue has been considered and adjudicated to a fare-thee-well. The district will lose, and as a public school, every teacher, administrator, and school board member should know this. Apparently the suit is seeking "nominal damages and fees." Any judgment should come directly from the pockets of those responsible.

[TomSlick]

3. I'm a little surprised that any public schools are still doing the Pledge of Allegiance thing.

Between religious groups whose children will not participate and people with political objection, it simply ain't a good idea.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. I agree.

I went to public school between 1975 and 1987, and it wasn't required. I can only think of a few times when we did the pledge, and we didn't grow up to be criminals or anything. Most of us didn't, anyway.

[keithbvadu2]

4. Jehovah's Witnesses do not salute the flag.

https://qz.com/1102238/americans-can-take-a-knee-during-the-national-anthem-thanks-to-the-jehovahs-witnesses/

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not salute the flag.

Nor Amish?

[Ms. Toad]

5. some Quakers. n/t