We are a group of students from Nashua High School North who would like to inform you about a new club that has been formed at the school, the Student Activist Club. The purpose of this club is to create a positive change in the way we as a school engage with our students and with the Nashua community as a whole. We hope to rethink the way that the policies and codes at Nashua High North are written and to set an example for other schools on how to improve the current learning environment to the benefit of the students, teachers, and staff. In order to gain a further understanding of just exactly what we do, read this, from the club president, Miranda McCannon, who discusses a topic we aim to tackle:

One of the issues that we’ve discussed in our meetings is the current rule regarding the Pledge of Allegiance. The Nashua North Handbook states that, “All students, teachers and staff must stand in silence during the Pledge of Allegiance or National Anthem in respect for our country.” All of the other schools in the district have rules that are similarly worded. This is wrong on so many levels. First of all, the rule is illegal. According to the US Supreme Court case, West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, schools cannot require students to do anything in relation to the Pledge as students are under the protection of the First Amendment. For those of you who are adamant about State’s rights, there is also a NH state law, RSA 194:15-c, that states “Pupils not participating in the recitation of the pledge of allegiance may silently stand or remain seated but shall be required to respect the rights of those pupils electing to participate.” This leaves little up to interpretation. Why should every school in this district be breaking laws just for the sake of forcing students into conformity?

Although the legalities of the situation may bore some, the reasons for wanting to sit are far too important to ignore. Freedom and autonomy play a very large role in America. After all, they were the framework for its founding. Although we as a country have had a hard time living up to this, it is still vital to the image we strive to display. Being allowed to abstain from any form of participation in the Pledge is one of our freedoms that have been long fought for by both soldiers and civilians alike. The choice to stand or sit for the pledge is a deeply personal one. Being told by schools what one’s relationship to America should be like ends up stunting the growth of individuality, not to mention it’s incredibly controlling. We may be children, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have the right to form our own opinions. Schools should be encouraging the development of personal morals rather than acting as if it is a great disrespect. Whether done for political, symbolic, or personal reasons, the choice to sit is a right that should never be infringed upon.

Students at our own schools have been frequently affected by the Pledge rules. Personally, I have been forced to stand when I was as young as 6 years old. We never were taught the significance of the Pledge and were instead expected to blindly recite it. Our club Secretary, Isabella Cruz, has said that “When I first learned and memorized the pledge of allegiance, I had no idea what it meant. I had no idea what was the purpose and significance of saying it in the morning and staring at a flag. I was uneducated and unable to come up with reasons to not say it in the first place.” Not only do schools neglect to educate students about the pledge, but they also choose to ignore the racism that many students experience in this country. Kenia Salazar, our club Vice President, has stated that, “Even though I was born within this country I am treated as a parasite and an outcast. People who claim to be true patriots hate my existence because of my racial background. I take no pride in a country that discriminates against its own people, a country in which its civilians cannot agree on basic human rights.” Nashua is the most diverse city in New Hampshire, and there are many students of color who have gone through similar experiences. Thinking about how others have experienced this world is an important thing to do before making judgments about those who choose to sit for the Pledge. As club member Addison Herbert has said, “I am lucky enough to be born in an America that stands for love, equality, and justice. But not everyone has the privilege of saying that.”

“As students are becoming more and more aware of the harsh reality being faced by so many minorities here, it’s natural of us to want to do something about it, and protesting is one of those methods. We refuse to stand as a form of protest, and students shouldn’t be reprimanded for exercising their First Amendment Right to non-verbally express an opinion,” says club member Trisha Mistry. We are at an age where developing political views and morals is crucial to our progression into adulthood. Sitting for the Pledge is neither violent or disruptive. Why is this school district so scared of letting students express their beliefs?

We completely understand that not everyone can empathize with those who sit for the pledge. Nevertheless, a lack of empathy is not an excuse to take away someone else’s choice. In the words of club member Clara Nascimento, “I’m asking that we all respect each other even if we don’t understand each other.” This is exactly what all of us need to do. This is not a matter of what your personal beliefs are, it is a matter of following the law and respecting one another.

For the reasons outlined above, we call on the Nashua Board of Education to support a resolution that will strike all language in the student handbooks that requires students to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.