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Teacher 'Refused To Hang Child's Drawing Of U.S. Flag Because It Would Offend Jehovah's Witness S

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posted on May, 16 2011 @ 07:30 AM
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reply to post by romanmel
 


Really? Can you present one instance for us?



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 07:36 AM
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reply to post by The_Phantom
[more


The Pledge of Allegiance has been modified four times since 1892. "One nation, under God" was not in the original pledge, being added only in 1954.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 07:52 AM
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Originally posted by burntheships
No, I dont think. The child and the dad, that makes 2.


Was the father actually involved or is he just repeating what his child told him? I read the story and saw no indication that the father was in school with his son that day so that really just makes 1, doesn't it? If something happens to me and I tell 10 people and they all believe me and stick up for me, does that make 11 witnetesses?



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 07:55 AM
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Originally posted by The_Phantom
The agenda liberals have is to remove flags and anything that can be related to God from schools. As in "...one nation under God..."


Then the father and son story would have to be a complete lie because they are claiming the teacher gave God too much respect and the flag not enough.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:10 AM
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Originally posted by sara123123
reply to post by burntheships
 


What a crock. It offends communists - the teacher - and that is why it was rejected. Shifting blame onto Witnesses is a laugh riot. These people have no problem in offending Christians in their classrooms every day in every way they possibly can.


Jehovah's Witnesses are an offshoot of Christianity. This is not some mysterious, desert, middle easter, super secret new religion. You have to offend the same god to offend JWs or Christians so that will not work will it.

I wonder do you think these communist teachers become teachers in public American schools with big flags out front as a secret plot to keep poorly rendered crayon drawings of the same flag off the windows? That really does seem to be the theme I am getting here.

Maybe the teacher would have hung up his flag if he got it right. His father should punish him severely and teach him that 3 colors do not a flag make. Other countries use those same 3 colors. He needs to work on that stripe counting and star drawing.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:11 AM
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I just wanted to add (and in all honesty I haven't read all the posts on this topic), in Australia our state primary schools have experienced the lack of main stream Christmas Carols (the ones we all grew up on) and the argument if they are appropriate or not or if they are included or celebrated every year, for a similar reason, apparently we don't want to offend other religions as well. This also happens around Easter.
Result: kids completely confused...not the best start for any of them at all.

What happened to celebrating our differences?
NB our family is in no way religious nor have we ever been.
We live in a very small town that has 9 churches of differing denominations, and 11 alcoholic outlets...
hmmmm nice choice!



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:26 AM
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Originally posted by romanmel
I hate seeing kids graduate from public schools who cannot read and write above a third grade level, because teachers impose their PC ideas upon those they are charged with educating.


What are the parents doing while this sort of thing is going on?
Is "parents" still a word?



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:33 AM
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Originally posted by burntheships
reply to post by Mercurio
 



No offense taken.



Its a childs rendering of The Unites States Flag.

I think that there is a moral to this story...no one has hit on it yet.

But your close.


No offense meant but the "child" was 11 years old. Is this by any chance a "special" school?

For that age, the drawing does kind of say that perhaps this child is not developing at a normal level. Perhaps he may have special needs. Maybe he should pay attention and do the assigned work instead of obsessing over another boy. Maybe it is young love?



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:39 AM
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Originally posted by TheDevilOfLies

take your own advice

were it not for what that flag represents the witnesses wouldnt be here


JW's are in almost every country in the world. I don't think the flag has any bearing at all on whether they would be here or not. JW's couldn't care less whether other people choose to salute the flag, worship the flag, or display the flag. This is a bunch of nonsense in my opinion.

edit on 5/16/2011 by Sparky63 because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:41 AM
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Originally posted by AussieAmandaC

We live in a very small town that has 9 churches of differing denominations, and 11 alcoholic outlets...
hmmmm nice choice!


If I lived in a small town with 9 churches, I would NEED 11 alcoholic outlets, whether it would be on the path to becoming one, or the path to eliminating it.

However, celebrating our differences has some merit, I will agree. If there is one thing I strive to be, it is certainly different.

Quite frankly, if there is one thing this article points out succinctly, it is 2....as a world, we are still utterly intolerant of other cultures/types of people (likely due to fear), and the second is that we simply can't seem to keep our fingers off the trigger for sensationalist news articles; we glorify them when we should be vilifying them.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:42 AM
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Originally posted by AwareOfSurroundings
I think that it is absolutely ridiculous that we can't hang our flag in our own country because it might offend others. Go back to where you f****** came from then. Why would they live in AMERICA and not expect to see and American flag everywhere you go? If OUR country is offensive to somebody then go somewhere else. YOU are offending us by coming to our country and making us change things. This makes me so mad
.


Where do Jehovah's Witnesses come from? What is their country of Origin?
There is a giant flag outside of the school. They say the pledge every morning so they must be facing a flag then too. Do you really want American flags "everywhere you go?" I am not certain I would enjoy my favorite painter "everywhere you go" because that almost sounds psychotic.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:44 AM
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Originally posted by Runaway1977

Originally posted by romanmel
I hate seeing kids graduate from public schools who cannot read and write above a third grade level, because teachers impose their PC ideas upon those they are charged with educating.


What are the parents doing while this sort of thing is going on?
Is "parents" still a word?


I don't think much mention was made to the plural parent(s)... I only recall mention of parenT, the father.

If I were a betting man, I would guess he had the ACLU phone number already programmed in as a contact on his iPhone just waiting for the moment to use it.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:51 AM
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Originally posted by alphabetaone

Originally posted by Runaway1977

Originally posted by romanmel
I hate seeing kids graduate from public schools who cannot read and write above a third grade level, because teachers impose their PC ideas upon those they are charged with educating.


What are the parents doing while this sort of thing is going on?
Is "parents" still a word?


I don't think much mention was made to the plural parent(s)... I only recall mention of parenT, the father.

If I were a betting man, I would guess he had the ACLU phone number already programmed in as a contact on his iPhone just waiting for the moment to use it.


I am sure you are right but I was specifically asking about the parents of all the children graduating from all the public schools who cannot read and write above a third grave level. In the teacher bashfest I responded to I find it striking that there seems to be a complete absence of parental responsibility. If your children are high school graduates, 18 years or more, and cannot read then I cannot help but wonder what the hell was being done as parents for those 18 years.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 08:56 AM
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Here is the official stand of JW's and their view of the flag.


*** sj p. 13 Flag Salute, Anthems and Voting ***
Even though we do not salute the flag of any nation, this certainly is not meant to indicate disrespect. We do respect the flag of whatever country we live in, and we show this respect by obedience to the country’s laws. We never engage in antigovernment activity of any kind. In fact, we believe that present human governments constitute an “arrangement of God” that he has temporarily permitted to exist. So we consider ourselves under divine command to pay taxes, tribute and honor to such “superior authorities.”—Romans 13:1-7.........
...we view the flag salute as an act of worship. Although we do not discourage others from saluting the flag, we cannot conscientiously give what we view as worship to anyone or anything except our God, Jehovah. (Matthew 4:10)

We would like to emphasize that we intend no disrespect for any government or its rulers by our refusal to salute the flag. It is just that we will not, in an act of worship, bow down to or salute an image representing the State, like the one Nebuchadnezzar raised up in the plain of Dura, or like the modern flags of the nations. (Daniel 3:1-30)

Significantly, the Supreme Court of the United States, in a historic reversal of a previous decision, stated:
“We think the action of the local authorities in compelling the flag salute and pledge transcends constitutional limitations on their power and invades the sphere of intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment to our Constitution to reserve from all official control.”—West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (1943).
So then, while others salute and pledge allegiance, our children stand quietly during the flag salute ceremony. But if, for some reason, the flag ceremony is conducted in such a way that simply standing gives evidence of one’s participation in the ceremony, our young ones remain seated. In addition, our youths do not march in patriotic parades, which would show their support of the thing honored by the parade. We remain neutral

Source: "School And Jehovah's Witnesses" brochure page 13.


So if view of this, I think it is totally out of line to blame JW's for the teachers actions. I hope those that are expressing their desire for JW's to leave the country take the time to educate themselves. JW's pose no threat to any of us.







edit on 5/16/2011 by Sparky63 because: Spelling...always spelling! *&^&%$#%$@



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 09:06 AM
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Originally posted by Runaway1977

I am sure you are right but I was specifically asking about the parents of all the children graduating from all the public schools who cannot read and write above a third grave level. In the teacher bashfest I responded to I find it striking that there seems to be a complete absence of parental responsibility. If your children are high school graduates, 18 years or more, and cannot read then I cannot help but wonder what the hell was being done as parents for those 18 years.


Oh absolutely. You won't find a more staunch proponent in that, than I.

I can't say I know the percentages of graduates that read at the third grade level and that graduate from a public school, however, it doesn't detract from your point.

I recall that by the time I was 8, I had read How to win friends and influence people twice (as you can see I never took it to heart), but my old man insisted that I kept reading until I was able to comprehend completely, even if I didn't care for the subject matter. Now, the reliance seems to have shifted away from the parenting responsibility to creating a pseudo-parent in the teacher; as though they are more vested in our childrens' learning than the parents should be....and taking it to task on them upon failure.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 09:24 AM
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reply to post by alphabetaone
 


Yes that is exactly what I was reacting to. I see a lot of hate for teachers and the "poor jobs they do" lately but I also see a lot of people seem to expect the teachers to do lots of the things my parents took responsibility for. I am not suggesting it be the parent job to teach reading 100% but maybe to make sure the kid is literate before they are 18 years old. That just seems basic.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 09:28 AM
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I dont know how it is in US, but here in Brazil we are having some serious problem wit the quality of education in schools and I am not talking about the academic teaching. Schools are also supposed to teach civility and morals to students. Hre in Brazil students are treated as customers and since the customer is always right, the teacher is losing authority. The product of this is a bunch of kids leaving school with horrible moral values, no respect to authoritative figures at all. They think they can do whatever they want.

So, IF, this is not about religion, but about the teacher asking the kid to draw something, and instead it drew an america flag, then this isnt about religion, or patriotism. This is about teaching this kid to respect the teachers authority in the class room. If this kid leaves school thinking it doesnt have to respect its teachers, who is to say the kid will respect its parents, its bosses, or anyone else?

Have you gone to the movies lately? I have quit going to the movies here in Brazil. Half of the people in there are talking aloud in their cell phones, making jokes and not a bit interested in seeing the movie at all, ruining the experience for the rest of us.

So, i would be VERY careful before judging this teacher so badly, unless you want all your kids to grow up thinking they dont have to respect anybody and do whatever the hell they want.
edit on 16-5-2011 by henriquefd because: (no reason given)

edit on 16-5-2011 by henriquefd because: (no reason given)



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 09:49 AM
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Schools must have changed a lot since I was a kid. Since when do students get to dictate to teachers what they do in their classrooms? The teacher didn't have to give any reason for not hanging up the kids picture of the flag. She should have simply said, "No" and left it at that.

My parents always supported the teachers even when they were probably wrong, and trust me, I had some pretty bad teachers back when I was in school. Teaching a child to have the proper respect for authority and especially adults, is sometimes more important than worrying about some kid not getting his way.


edit on 5/16/2011 by Sparky63 because: added comment



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 09:54 AM
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Originally posted by Sparky63
Schools must have changed a lot since I was a kid. Since when do students get to dictate to teachers what they do in their classrooms? The teacher didn't have to give any reason for not hanging up the kids picture of the flag. She should have simply said, "No" and left it at that.

My parents always supported the teachers even when they were probably wrong, and trust me, I had some pretty bad teachers back when I was in school. Teaching a child to have the proper respect for authority and especially adults, is sometimes more important than worrying about some kid not getting his way.


edit on 5/16/2011 by Sparky63 because: added comment


Yea, I agree, but it HAS changed a lot.

Look at media consumption too, it fuels the desire for people to shift their focus on what they deem important. Ask 100 people the last 3 presidents of the US, then ask them the list from start to finish of all the contestants on Dancing with the Stars... I wonder which list would be mostly accurate.

In this case, getting the ACLU "on the job" is probably more important than actually ensuring his kid GETS an education or any respect at all for authority.



posted on May, 16 2011 @ 06:36 PM
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reply to post by Sparky63
 

Good accurate information Sparky, I agree


Of all the Jehovah's Witnesses I know, there is not one of them who would be offended by someone else displaying an image of a national flag, let alone saluting it, pledging allegiance, or singing nationalist songs. Witnesses wouldn't do these things in order to not violate their code of political neutrality, but they fully respect others' right to do so.

From what I hear of this story, it sounds like the father is using the Jehovah's Witnesses' non-nationalist stance as an excuse to blame the teacher, just because his little brat wouldn't get his own way. It sounds like the kid has had a bone to pick with the Witness boy, too.
edit on 16/5/11 by HardbeatAcolyte because: spelling fix




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