Many readers are old enough to remember when the school day started with a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Students would rise, place their hands over their hearts and say the familiar words in unison, either led by the teacher or by the principal speaking over the public address system.
It wasn't just the two Texarkanas of course. The pledge was an expected part of the classroom experience in just about every school in the nation, and it's still that way in most places. Only four states-Hawaii, Iowa, Vermont and Wyoming-do not set aside time for the pledge during the school day. But while most have no problem with the pledge, a 1943 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that students do not have to participate in the pledge nor can they be punished for declining to do so.
Still it's an emotional issue for some, espescially those of us who served in the armed forces, who have seen a lot of cherished traditions going by the wayside.
This year the state of Florida passed a law requiring schools to inform students of their right to opt-out of reciting the pledge and requiring they include a notification of that right in the code-of-conduct booklet every child receives.
In Leon County the school district took things a bit further, publishing a form that parents could sign and return asking that their children be excused from the pledge.
Here's the form's wording: "I understand my rights as a parent and I request that my child, noted above, be excused from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. This request includes standing and placing his/her right hand over his/her heart."
The move didn't go over well. One parent wrote "This is the dumbest thing I have ever read and I am so ashamed of this," on the form and returned it. Then a copy of the form with her handwritten note was posted on Facebook. It went viral. Facebook was flooded with outraged comments. And the school district was flooded with complaints.
So much so that the superintendent decided to get rid of the form in subsequent copies of the code of conduct.
We understand this whole incident may anger some folks. And it's easy to blame the school district. But these days schools have to navigate a lot of land mines that could explode in costly litigation. They were just trying to cover their bases.
The school overreacted by publishing the form. So did those who saw it as an attack on something they hold dear. Because when you get right down to it, nothing has changed. The pledge will still be said. Those who want to opt-out can do so. Life goes on.