The "New Trek Pledge"

[BakulaBabe 2]

This is from Star Trek.Com...

 

The New Trek Pledge

It's at the bottom of the page, after the Patrick Stewart story.

 

The Full Story

 

I love it! It probably wasn't a good idea for the kid to recite it at school during the "proper" pledge, but he should be given credit for creativity. :biggrin: There's even merchandise!

 

The Merchandise

[Eratosthenes 0]

Ha! That's wonderful! I need to try that myself when school comes back into session. :biggrin:

[Mr.Picard 12]

I read that as well and I alread thought about adding this pledge into my signature or something :biggrin: I really like that idea. B)

[HRH The KING 0]

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.

 

Hey!!!

 

I like this kid!!! :biggrin: B)

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

That sucks that he got in trouble.... if i was his teacher/principal, i woulda laughed! :biggrin:

[HRH The KING 0]

Yes, everyone knows it is the main job of a teacher to discourage any sense of humour and independent thought from their students.

 

This teacher deserves the "Most Pedantic" award for 2005.

[trekz 7]

Both the teacher and Principal seem to have no sense of humor. I wonder if this school has a zero tolernace policy for any infractions. With all the real problems in schools, ranging from lack of progress by students in many subjects, bullying, over emphasis on sports etc., this seems a waste of time or an attempt to make school children little automatons. Apparently patriotism is a major emphasis in this school. A better solution imo than simple rote copying of the pledge could have been for the student to do a report on the pledge, it's history, and what it represents.

[BKY1701 0]

If I was the kid; that would be the last time I pledged to anything in that class room.

 

Also; I didn't think they were allowed to force someone to pledge their allegiance; making him write it is the same as making him say it. They can get in serious legal trouble for doing what they did, and I suspect they will.

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

AWESOME! I'm gonna go order some stuff....

 

Pledge To UFoP store

[Theunicornhunter 2]

I know it shouldn't but it continues to amaze me that people rush to judgment after hearing one (obviously biased) description of an event.

 

My question after reading this is - how did the teacher know he was saying something other than the pledge? Think about - a classroom full of kids all standing by their desks with their mouths moving - as long as most of the kids are saying the right thing - that's what you'll hear. The kid had to do something to draw attention to himself. And I can't help but wonder if whatever that was - was the actual reason for suspension.

 

Then I wonder, "who wrote the pledge" and was he "encouraged" to say it? Mom, obviously sees this as a financial enterprise - I wonder if she put the kid up to it.

 

There's just so much more I'd like to know.

[Eratosthenes 0]

If that's the case, UnicornHunter, I still stand by the child's side.

 

At my school, we are asked to stand but that is all. We aren't told to recite a pledge to anything. In fact, as heinous as it may be, kids at my school (including myself) have gotten away with activities like substituting the Nazi salute for the hand-over-heart gesture. I've never had any sort of detention or formal reprimand from any teacher.

Edited August 1, 2005 by Eratosthenes

[Theunicornhunter 2]

If that's the case, UnicornHunter, I still stand by the child's side.

 

At my school, we are asked to stand but that is all. We aren't told to recite a pledge to anything. In fact, as heinous as it may be, kids at my school (including myself) have gotten away with activities like substituting the Nazi salute for the hand-over-heart gesture. I've never had any sort of detention or formal reprimand from any teacher.

344923[/snapback]

 

 

But you don't know what he did - that's my point - he had to do something serious enough to draw attention to himself - like shouting at the top of his lungs or running up to the front of the class and making a scene. Shouting and running around the room are unacceptable - Pledge or not. My point was that if he stood silently by his desk the teacher wouldn't have noticed him. She certainly wouldn't have noticed the words to the Star Trek pledge which is why I don't think the words to the pledge are what got him into trouble. I think Mama is trying to sell T-shirts.

 

There is a difference between not saying the pledge - which he had a right to do and making a mockery of it.

 

Although saying the Pledge is obviously a hollow observance.

 

And I agree a mini report would have made more sense than writing sentences over and over. I never learned anything from that particular technique (except how to do it fast )

[BKY1701 0]

But you don't know what he did - that's my point - he had to do something serious enough to draw attention to himself - like shouting at the top of his lungs or running up to the front of the class and making a scene. Shouting and running around the room are unacceptable - Pledge or not.

 

Maybe he was the only one that looked even a bit happy to be saying it.

 

kids at my school (including myself) have gotten away with activities like substituting the Nazi salute for the hand-over-heart gesture.

 

As much as many people will say no; it's a fact that the Nazi salute was used until world war 2 (it was Roman before it was Nazi).

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_salute

 

The Nazi salute is no longer any big deal at all. I have done it to the "bag Nazis" (the people at the door that stop you are 'inspect' your bags) at wal-mart. Needless to say they didn't get it.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

I could get off on a tanget here - but I find the use of the Nazi hand signal disturbing (even if it was used before most people currently associate it with Nazis)

 

Basically, it's just a sign of disrepect or mockery (granted protected speech but still rude). It's amazing they can still find teachers anymore - we live in a society that glories rude, disrespectful behavior - I wouldn't want to put up with it all day. I took a class at a local community college a couple of years ago - I couldn't believe how rude the class members were to the instructor - we would have never treated a teacher like that when I was in jr. college the first time around.

 

As for the story - I still believe Mama was manipulating events to make a profit.