Does anyone on here have sixth graders here in the Mena school district?

Here is a part of what I was told is the new pledge of allegiance that they are using. Can anyone confirm it?

Revised” I promise loyalty to the symbol of the 50 states of our country and to the government for which it stands one nation under our most powerful resource, undividable, with freedom and fairness to everyone

I can't speak for the 6th grade but I was at the high school this morning for a presentation and we couldn't start until the pledge was said and it was exactly like it was said 40 years ago when I was in school.

I had heard that the "revised" version was actually just a project that the kids had to do. They had to look the words up and change them to what the dictionary said. Apparently if you look up God in the dictionary it says, "most powerful resource".
:dunno:

This was an activity that combined both literacy and social studies. Teachers had the students look up synonyms for words in the pledge. They also had to learn where all the punctuation goes and how it impacts the meaning. There was NO NEW PLEDGE! Apparently one parent decided not to contact the teacher when they were questioning the activity and instead chose to attack the character of these teachers that have been through enough! If they had just asked the teacher they would have gotten the answer ..... instead just like what happens all too often....the teacher was skipped. And, by the way, the teachers in No Way suggested for the kids to leave God out of the pledge! Sorry, I feel kind of emotional about this situation.....this is a very unfortunate incident that one man instigated and needs to publicly apologize for what he has done. These teachers were actually promoting the kids being aware of their heritage.....and look what it got them.

And might I add that the teacher involved here is one of the very best and one of the most experienced teachers in the entire Mena school system. She would be about the last person I can think of to do something as radical as what she is being accused of.

Hope that didn't make it out to 100000 emails. :)


I've heard that's how rumors get started. :whistle:

Very well said chsn1. I believe the man that started all of it should apologize to the teachers also. It has affected all of them and they are deeply hurt.

Just be thankful he is not a teacher, in charge of teaching your kids.

At least, I hope he's not. :huh:

he's not a teacher, in the school teacher sense. you might be surprised at what he is. then again, probably not.

I had another parent tell me about it a few days ago. It concerned me too. I made some calls and finally got the rest of the story. I guess I was satisfied with the explanation, but at the same time I understand why the parent got upset.

I know the parent that went to the school, he's a great person. He did speak with the teacher. What really got the whole thing going was someone else that called a member of the school board.

As a Christian, I feel kind of emotional about this issue too. We are reminded constantly how we must not violate everyone else's rights or personal beliefs, all the while our rights are constantly violated and we are denied our right to free speech.

If you ask me, we were much better off as a community and as a nation when we had prayer in our schools. IMHO.

:agree:

Also, look for a letter from the superintendent in both the The Pulse and The Mena Star this week.

If you truly want to know your innermost feelings on the prayer in school issue imagine how you would feel if there were Muslim prayers in the school.

A time for silent meditation or prayer should offend no one , yet it does! Even that can create problems!

Oh and if I was a teacher or student could I not pray out loud grace at a meal [ for example] ...or thank Jesus during a graduation speech? Certainly a Muslim , or whatever , could do the same.
Our rights though are being eroded away...and what I've seen .. its generally Christians who are losing them.

Just google ramadan school christmas ... Some ban one & add the other [ guesss which].. some only have a secular "Christmas" themes but not a secular Ramadan themes [ afterall , they haven't added elves & reindeer type things to that]