Should students stand for national anthem?

That child is learning wrong and its parent(s)/guardian(s) are responsible not the teacher that attempted to help it and was suspended without pay for doing so. If our children do not learn patriosm now when will they and what does this mean for the future of our great country?

That's just so wrong! The teacher should at least be commended for respecting the national anthem. Here in the Philippines, people stand up when they play our national anthem - even inside movie houses! National anthems describe a country, its history and the love that its children should feel towards it. You're right about that act. It shows moral decay in the people nowadays, a moral decay that eats not only your country, but every nation in the world..

I agree with you. Standing up for your national anthem is a mark of respect. And if we dont teach children how to respect who will? The teacher was absolutely right in doing what he/she did.

it just goes to show how debased this societu has become and with some of these folks (like the kids parents )If God wont help us who will?

I disagree with this. I don't think a student should be forced to stand and sing the National Anthem if he doesn't want to. And who's to say that it's the fault of the parents? How does this make them irresponsible?? Their son made the decision not to stand, they didn't force him not to. Students have minds of their own and they're able to use them. The article states that there is no policy requiring students to stand for the national anthem, so why should he have done so if he didn't want to? I think the teachers punishment is right. Forcing a student to do something that isn't a requirement is wrong and shouldn't be allowed.

In school, I feel the student will need to abide by the school rules. School have strict rules about standing for national anthem. It is one way to teach the students how to show respect. The state flag is a symbolic representation and if the student is able to respect it sincereley, the student will grow up to becoming a respectful person, giving people their due respect. If the school is not able to teach and instil respect in the student, I would think the school has failed in its mission.

I believe the kid had a right to not stand for the National Anthem... But it also shows how much of a spoiled jerk he is for not appreciating the very right he exercised.

Every person should have some respect for their country they live in. They need to stand during the National Anthem. The story just makes me feel like making the principal and parents learn morals and even teach morals and values to the child. Spare the stick and spoil the child is something that the story says.

I don't care what anyone else says or thinks, we live in a fantastic country and if you are a citizen of this country, then you show it respect by standing for the national anthem and saying the Pledge of Allegiance. There's no excuse. The student who refused to stand for the national anthem should be suspended - what is wrong with his parents? I teach my children that it is required that they stand, with hand over heart, for the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem. My daughter once asked me about saying "One Nation Under God", she didn't want to say this because we are Pagan. I let her know some facts about this line, that it was added many, many, many years later. I told her that "God" can mean any religion's God or Higher Spirit and the main point of the Pledge and the anthem is respect for our country and that we will always, no matter what religion, show respect. I then compared the US to some other countries and she was stunned to learn that everyone doesn't share the same freedoms, the same abilities, the same opportunities. It all comes down to a matter of respect for your country. If you don't have respect for your country, then move out! The student sounds like a spoiled brat!

I disagree A student should not be forced to do something they do not believe in. its like forced prayer in school i think thats ridiculous if a student doenst believe in it then they shouldnt be forced to do it. If this student really felt that strongly about not doing the national anthem then they shoudlnt have to do it. theyu are there to learn not sing songs.

I think it's wrong. That guy should have respected the national anthem. Too much for the rights of the people. If they don't know how to respect the flag. They must not be protected by its constitution. Most people right now whine about the respect that they don't get. They must learn to look at themselves first before asking for respect.

One should be always proud of standing for national anthem. Right from school days I felt so proud to stand for the national anthem. The decision taken by the principal must be strongly opposed and must be reported to the education board. The children of today are the saviors of tomorrow. If they are not taught to respect our important national symbols like anthem, flag etc how will they be standing before the nation as a shield during the time of trials..

Obviously they should ! They should respect their countries national anthem as well as other countries national anthem too !

Honestly it should be up to the student alone whether or not he should stand to the national anthem. Because everyone has their own beliefs, it's good to see people standing up for their own beliefs, even if it may offend you, or anyone else. Saying that he should be punished for it, would be like punishing someone for something, for example, a different religion. So the teacher trying to punish him for that, I would think, got off easy.

I think it's disrespectful. I actually got in to an arguement with a student at my school. They said it was against their religion (she's from pakistan) to stand up for the anthem... I was a little harsh, but it's true.. When a country not your original country, has granted you citizenship and welcomed you in to the country with pride and respect.. You should return the respect and stand for the two minute anthem in the morning, or whenever it's played. Students need to stand for the anthem, it's a respectful thing to do. It's sad that a teacher gets suspended for doing what all teachers should and would most likely do.

Can you imagine that? If you are still a student, you are still currently learning and respecting the national anthem should be one of them. By showing respect, you do a great thing for your country. Standing for a few minutes won't hurt a person or make you less a person. This just shows what kind of leaders are we having in the future? The youngsters nowadays are the hope of their own country. But with the attitude of these kids nowadays, you have to ask, where does a country headed for with the kind of generation they are having? The parents got the first responsibility to teach their child and should support the school in molding these students for their bright future. That is why we sent our kids to school, to learn.

yes they should anybody in different country do the same thing.. as part of their respect to their country. But on your story, i feel bad about the teacher.. he/she should have a warning first for first obstruction then if he/she did it again you can now suspend him/her.

I had read the newspaper, in my point of view. I am against from the teacher's act of giving an ultimatum to the student to apologize, i know the teacher is trying to discipline the student but he might say it in a nice manner. He might approach the student regarding the act of not standing for the national anthemn and keep reminding that student..have "lots of patience". For the principal and parent, it is a drastic move to give the teacher a 10-day suspension, this action shows that the principal seemed to be bias. You're right the principal cannot stand up for his employees, therefore i presume that school should get teachers who are programmed to teach based on the exclusively on the "policy of the school" and have a clear cut of what to teach to the student, they should provide pattern how to teach the moral values and right conduct, to avoid the teacher having such suspension and that is a ridiculous idea. Further, if i were the parent of the student, I will be aware of my child's action, i will be open to hear the side of the teacher. If the teacher do as such to my child, well i will not be mad instead i will think from myself why my child's behavior is like that, i will seek the teacher's point of view, because maybe i neglect to teach such value to my child. Now, the teacher should not get this 10-day suspension in the first place. If the principal think the teacher's act is humiliating, he should only advice the teacher not suspending.

I can understand the teacher's sentiments, but she must remember that he's a teacher, a member of the faculty, and really doesn't have any power over the students. I think the situation has less to do with the disrespect of the national anthem than it does with insubordination. If the teacher felt her student was showing disrespect, he shouldn't have went vigilante and taken the matters into his own hands; instead, she should have reported to the guidance counselor or even to the principal. I'm sure the student would receive an even heavier sanction if the teacher did this, and he wouldn't have been suspended. The issue with teachers abusing their students is pretty delicate, and is still a huge matter because teachers really do sometimes display a perceived power over the students when they shouldn't. This situation is unfortunately treading towards those grounds. I'm not saying the teacher was wrong; I'm merely stating that there could have been better ways to deal with this, that wouldn't have merited him a punishment.

I agree and disagree. I believe it is ones personal choice to stand or site during the National Anthem. Should one be FORCED to stand with the utmost respect for something that may they not be sincere about? That would be false respect. This IS a free country after all. I think the same applies for prayer in school. Personal choice and one should not have to outwardly display their appreciation for something if they would prefer to do in quietly from their desk. Everyone respects/worships/honors something in a different personal way because we are all unique. BUT on the other hand, if a child decided that they didn't want to participate in gym class because they believe it is "their personal choice" then this could cause a lot of problems. Standing for the pledge is not a required school subject or skill that one would need in order to become an adult, get a job and live in our society. Children are corrupted enough with having to conform to society standards.Being forced to be something their not, or reprimanding them for being believing in something, being bombarded at a young age with so much information that they start to lose the very thing that America stands for, which is FREEDOM of the individual. As long as noone is being harmed than why can't a child have an opinion about something? How will they ever learn to be adults in this society if everyone makes every decision for them. Is this what we want to teach them that America is about? Listen to the popular mass opinion or be condemned and punished? The teacher probably did not deserve to be suspended but her response to the child was a little harsh. As a parent i would want my child to sit if thats what they so desired in that situation. Again No harm done. But to have a teacher reprimand my child for something i am trying to teach him (freedom of religion ect) then I would be angry with that teacher. She has no right to raise my child and prevent them from coming back into the classroom to LEARN (thats what a school is for right?).. because they wouldn't stand at teachers will.. it's ridiculous.