I pledge allegiance to the United Federation of Planets

I can't believe that a school suspended an eight-year-old kid for speaking his own version of the Pledge of Allegiance. His version:
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United Federation of Planets, and to the galaxy for which it stands, one universe, under everybody, with liberty and justice for all species.
Seriously. He's eight. He likes Star Trek. This deserves suspension? The mother reports that the teacher said the following in response to the boy's so-called misbehavior:
"Mrs. Jaworski. This isn't humorous. The Pledge is an extremely important and patriotic moment each morning in the classroom. I am ashamed of your son's behavior, and I hope you are, too."
Is Big Brother in charge of this school? Are we now training children to be patriotic at all costs? WTF?

This story via BoingBoing.

Comments

Anonymous said…
i went to the blog, but i'm wondering what school district/destruct/state this took place in. i'm guessing a red one.
10:26 PM
teletypeturtle said…
I checked the comments in the blog.... it's somewhere in the area of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, Calif.
8:49 PM
The Doombot Express said…
Hey, some people just take it waaaay seriously. Yeah, I don't think the kid knew how disrespectful it might have been, and now his mother will have to clarify some things for him. As much of a Star Trek loving geek that I am, I think it was a little off-base to do that. Creative, hey, A for effort, kid. I guess with some people, you just don't mess with their country. Yet, seriously, with all the US has done and is even partly responsible for, I still would never live anywhere else.
10:01 PM
The Doombot Express said…
Except maybe for Ireland...
10:03 PM
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