A high-school senior who stayed seated during the playing of the Mexican National Anthem at a campus ceremony – fearing if he stood he might jeopardize his upcoming enlistment in the U.S. military – was reprimanded and sent to the school office.
The 17-year-old son of Robert Bedard of Elgin, Ill., a Chicago suburb, made the choice to stay seated during a ceremony honoring Mexican Independence Day at Larkin High School last month, the Daily Herald reported.
Bedard says his son was in the process of enlisting in the military and feared honoring another nation's anthem might jeopardize his status.
The boy's father, a lieutenant with the Elgin Fire Department, questioned how far cultural sensitivity has gone in his local schools.
"I am concerned that the Mexican Americans have unfairly monopolized the teaching of cultural awareness at this school," Bedard told the suburban paper. "At least that's the perspective of a parent. I'd love to be corrected."
According to the report, Latino students orchestrated an assembly for Mexican Independence Day, just as black students host an assembly commemorating black history month in February.
School board President Ken Kaczynski defended the celebration of different cultures.
"If we were teaching one culture's history over another, then we have an issue. But I don't think that's the case," Kaczynski said.
Last spring, a Larkin student wrote an essay lamenting the celebration of Mexican holidays in American schools, the Herald reported.
The teen faulted Mexican students, saying they shouldn't have lowered the American flag in favor of a Mexican flag on Sept. 16, 2004. School officials later said the American flag was raised again before class began.
"Of the ethnic groups at Larkin," Principal Richard Webb is quoted as saying, "the Hispanic group is growing at the most increased rate, and of that Hispanic group, the vast majority of students are Mexican-American."
Of the 2,550 students at Larkin High last year, 38.4 percent were Hispanic and nearly a quarter were new to English.
"If they have an assembly, I would be happy if they will not try to force students to honor patriotic elements of another culture unless they also honor our flag, our anthem as well," Bedard said. "It's just respect for both cultures."
School officials need firing for raising the Mexican flag instead of our own. On government property no less. Bastages!!
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Sic Vis Pacem Parabellum
Last edited by silentknight; 10-07-2005 at 02:27 PM.
That's terrible. I agree, firing is in order. Our G&G version of firing (ie squad with each of us with our favorite guns, ie CZ-52s and Hi-points) would be nice, but I'll settle for a simple employment termination.
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Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf
Well, all jokes aside, the parents and students should take a real positive action against this school policy nonsense. Start a petition, signed by all students and their parents who think this should be changed. Let the school officials know this isn't just one rebelious kid. There are ways to beat them! UnAmerican policies done in the name of 'Equal Rights' are neither equal or right. Nip it - nip it in the bud!!
Kinda sad really. If a student remains seated at an American ceremony, nothing is said by the school officials. Seems very odd to me that this is the norm rather than the exception. Protocol dictates that no flag fly higher than the flag of the United States on its own soil. No Matter the occasion.
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"Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." Benjamin Franklin
Any student who stood for that flag raising should have gotten a size 10 boondocker in the !!!!!. I can't believe what the system is coming to. We can't even choose English for our national language for fear of offending some ethnic minority from whine country.
"Life is too important to be taken seriously."
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Life is too important to be taken seriously.
I've simply explained to my kids that in situations like this that they are by no means to honor or recognize any flag or symbol of another country other than the U.S.A. We are Americans and have no resposibility to pledge, honor, or otherwise recognize any other flag or seal other than our own.
If they get sent home from school for that, I can't wait to explain to the principal how proud of my children that I am and am curious for an explination from the school as to what level of terrorist liberal propeganda and communism they are being taught in the Alabama public school system?
I really can't see it happening here, but it does seem that all the touchy feely liberal pukes in my city are hugging up to the mexicans and whatever other illegals are swimming across the border. There has been crap inthe paper every day about embracing ethnic diversity and how the spanish influence should be welcomed - I welcome them to swim their azz back across the border and quit staeling jobs from Americans.
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The Second Amendment, it ain't about DUCK HUNTING!
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In this case I agree no US citizens should have stood up, since it was played here in the US. However when overseas it is considered common courteousy to stand when the Anthem of another nation is played.
i guess if you personally wanted to honor the country it is your perogative. but to punish someone like this is pure crap. this cant be taken sitting down, he he.
lowered the American flag in favor of a Mexican flag on Sept. 16, 2004.
WRONG! Never should happen, isin't supposed to happen and is against American Flag protocol!
You can hoist next to, or under...post alonside, but never repolace the American Flag! What country was the boy sitting in? It is one thing to honor another nations holiday in the interest of learning, but this went waaaay too far!
And for the Mexican Americans in that school, what country were they standing in? What country were they born in? If they were born here, and their parents are citizens, then they are AMERICANS! If they love ol Meyhico so much, go back!
lowered the American flag in favor of a Mexican flag on Sept. 16, 2004.
WRONG! Never should happen, isin't supposed to happen and is against American Flag protocol!
You can hoist next to, or under...post alonside, but never repolace the American Flag! What country was the boy sitting in? It is one thing to honor another nations holiday in the interest of learning, but this went waaaay too far!
And for the Mexican Americans in that school, what country were they standing in? What country were they born in? If they were born here, and their parents are citizens, then they are AMERICANS! If they love ol Meyhico so much, go back!
lowered the American flag in favor of a Mexican flag on Sept. 16, 2004.
WRONG! Never should happen, isin't supposed to happen and is against American Flag protocol!
You can hoist next to, or under...post alonside, but never repolace the American Flag! What country was the boy sitting in? It is one thing to honor another nations holiday in the interest of learning, but this went waaaay too far!
And for the Mexican Americans in that school, what country were they standing in? What country were they born in? If they were born here, and their parents are citizens, then they are AMERICANS! If they love ol Meyhico so much, go back!
I totally agree!!
THat's what I don't understand. These mexicans jump fences and swim a river to get to this country, and then go around acting like mexico is the greatest country in the world!! If its so freakin great......STAY THERE ESSAY!!!
This is ridiculous. It reminds me of an incident that happened two years ago where I was suspended from school for arguing that illeagle immigration was bad. Wait a minute that happened again last year. Never mind.
" Red flags.... May day.... theres gotta be a better way! Red tanks, Mass graves, and red liars always get their say! Cos The only good comie is a dead commie its about time we learned... the only time our people are gunna taste freedom's when the last red flag is burned" - Ian Stuart Donaldson
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