Guest c4evap Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Here's an amusing story I found whilst surfing blogs... Hey, Klingons have feelings, too! I got a call from the elementary school administrative assistant this morning. "Mrs. Jaworski?" I could hear her tapping a pencil against the desk. "Uh yes, and it's Ms., please." "Your son, 8, has been suspended for the day. Come here and pick him up." She didn't give me time to answer, to ask questions, her voice disappeared as if someone cut the line. I stood in the kitchen, my bare feet aching from yesterday's marathon, and I took a deep breath. My son can be a nut at times, but he's never done the kinds of things that troubled kids do. He doesn't talk back, he doesn't pick fights, and he's never destroyed property. I couldn't picture him doing anything scholastically evil. Maybe he stripped and ran around the school naked, I thought. I grabbed my keys and headed out the door. The principal met me in her office. She closed the door tightly behind me and invited me to sit in a stuffed orange vinyl chair. "Mrs. Jaworski, 8 has been suspended from school for one day." She wore an arctic blue power jacket over black slacks, and I self-consciously tried to pull my hooded sweatshirt further over my pink pajamas. "It's Ms., please. And sorry for my attire, but I ran a marathon yesterday and I'm too sore to change this morning." I tried to infect her with my smile, but she wore a tight-lipped expression as frosty as her jacket. "So, anyway. What did he do?" I picked at the hem of my sweatshirt, looked just to the right of her face. I couldn't meet her eyes. I felt nervous. I felt underdressed. I wondered where 8 was. So she told me what he did. And as she told me, I started to laugh. I didn't laugh a little, either, but I belly-laughed and grabbed my stomach. My son stood with his class this morning, put small right hand over heart, faced the American flag, and recited his own personal pledge of allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Federation of Planets, and to the galaxy for which it stands, one universe, under everybody, with liberty and justice for all species. "Mrs. Jaworski. This isn't humorous. The Pledge is an extremely important and patriotic moment each morning in the classroom. I am ashamed of your son's behavior, and I hope you are, too." I wanted to say, Hey Lady, it's a big universe. Why should we pledge allegiance to a mixed-up country? Why shouldn't my son embrace the potential of stardust? But I stood, extended my hand, apologized for my laughter, slung my purse over my shoulder, opened her door to find my son, 8, red-eyed sitting on the wooden bench bordering the World Map wall. I'm sitting here, working on computer things, and Mr. 8 sits in the living room. He has to write the "real" pledge of allegiance fifty times before he can return to school. But first he's watching Star Trek. Damn straight. LOL. You can't make this sh!t up! She named the kid 8! Cool kid though. I like his attitude! c4 :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Good to see the USA's classroom brain washing is as good today, as it always was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amnot Borg Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 At least they aren't making us say morning prayers any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayden Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 haha, who couldnt help laughing.. wat blunt old bag she principle is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjnave Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 The teacher obviously believes in the importance of the flag and what it stand for (whether you (the person reading this) believe in it yourself or not). I personally believe that allegiance to the federation of planets is just as good though, since we're all sentient and of value no matter where we're from. However, I dont think its fair to villainize this lady for her conviction. Good post C4! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I think maybe its time the Chinese took over, its just getting silly now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tablet Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 LOL i'm so glad im not american (no offense) but i think i'd go crazy if i had to pledge allegiance to such a messed up country or get kicked out of school (no offense again) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 I like the ads Google has selected, I wonder if they ship them to the middle east presoaked in paraffin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 Yup, they also include a free ak-47 with which you can shoot into the air to show support of the burning of flags/books/effigies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjnave Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 LOL i'm so glad im not american (no offense) but i think i'd go crazy if i had to pledge allegiance to such a messed up country or get kicked out of school (no offense again) No problem.. i didnt expect anything from such a backward (no offense) country as yours. Thirld world envy (no offense) is very common place. You shouldnt feel bad. :D -- *wink* LOL -- :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motoxjesse Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 haha, i dislike the US as much as i dislike canada, im just a bitter person Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c4evap Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 LOL i'm so glad im not american (no offense) but i think i'd go crazy if i had to pledge allegiance to such a messed up country or get kicked out of school (no offense again) My mother had to come to school to get me one time because I had refused to pledge allegiance to the flag. The day before we had watched a documentary (in school) about the nazis and how they brain-washed their children into being good little nazis. Well, I got it into my head that being made to pledge allegiance was pretty much the same thing. I refused to do it. To my surprise my mother backed me up and gave a good tongue-lashing to my teacher. I never again pledged allegiance to the flag and was never spoken to about it again. To this day I will not say it! I love my country...BUT...I make up my own mind how I show it. I understand the feelings and thoughts behind our flag but to me it's just a piece of cloth. Deeds. Your deeds should define who and what you are. Not some words and a piece of cloth (IMHO). c4 B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tablet Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 ^ id didnt want to say brain washing incase i got jumped on by other members, but really it is P.S I sent you more script Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c4evap Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 ^ id didnt want to say brain washing incase i got jumped on by other members, but really it is P.S I sent you more script Sh!t...it IS brain-washing! I have no doubt. They (the powers that be) start us out young with this routine. Over time it has become a cultural imperative. p.s. Great, I'll go read them now... :D c4 B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druj Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 If a teacher had suspended a child for doing that here, that teacher would be in trouble. Just plain ridiculous. If it would have happened on some military ceremony by a military officer or something like that, then that is an acceptable punishable offense. But a kid in elementary school? What the hell? Kids do stuff like that. And it was not like he set the flag on fire or peed or something like that either. He expressed his like of a show that expresses some of the more sound moral values that exist on TV. Plus, making kids that age read a pledge of allegiance (that most of them probably don't understand fully) is a touch...creepy, if you ask me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x5315 Posted May 30, 2006 Share Posted May 30, 2006 At least they aren't making us say morning prayers any more. i thought it was in the constitution to keep the state and religion apart? or is that something i've invented? Wasn't that why it was a problem about teaching intelligent design and that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symok Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 i thought it was in the constitution to keep the state and religion apart? or is that something i've invented? Wasn't that why it was a problem about teaching intelligent design and that? Nope, you're not wrong at all. The First Amendment CLEARLY states that Church and State are to be seperate. "Intelligent Design" advocates (who are all xtians, go figure) are just using it as a wedge to get creationism around the 1st Amendment. The prinicpal probably thinks that they are one country "under god" too, as opposed to the original "indivisible". (Interesting side note that since the "god" now in the Pledge is OBVIOUSLY intended to reference the xtian one, having it in actually PROMOTES divisivness, exactly the opposite of the original version.) PS: Yes, I'm Canadian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDad Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 i thought it was in the constitution to keep the state and religion apart? or is that something i've invented? Wasn't that why it was a problem about teaching intelligent design and that? Nope, you're not wrong at all. The First Amendment CLEARLY states that Church and State are to be seperate. "Intelligent Design" advocates (who are all xtians, go figure) are just using it as a wedge to get creationism around the 1st Amendment. The prinicpal probably thinks that they are one country "under god" too, as opposed to the original "indivisible". (Interesting side note that since the "god" now in the Pledge is OBVIOUSLY intended to reference the xtian one, having it in actually PROMOTES divisivness, exactly the opposite of the original version.) PS: Yes, I'm Canadian. You are CLEARLY wrong. That comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptist Association in October of 1801. http://www.usconstitution.net/jeffwall.html Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. This story sounds a little too apocryphal to be true in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest c4evap Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 Separation of church and state? OK. Look at American money - "IN GOD WE TRUST". WTF? Does not sound too separate to me... c4 :thinking: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dextera Posted May 31, 2006 Share Posted May 31, 2006 well said. luckily i didnt have to do no pledge. tho they did make us sing our national anthem every friday > < was the guy who stood there thinking 'this is daft...' while everybody else sounds like drowning cats. ~ from Australia ~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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