Friday, August 16, 2013

Muskegon County schools preparing for Pledge of Allegiance mandate

Muskegon County schools preparing for Pledge of Allegiance mandate | MLive.com:
 "Muskegon Public Schools Superintendent Jon Felske recently ordered 400 flags to put in classrooms throughout the district. The task will keep maintenance workers busy leading up to the first day of school Sept. 3."
"When we're having billion-dollar issues about public education, does this ... make a difference in the quality of education for our students?" Felske said. "I have no problem doing it, but is that the biggest educational thing we were able to achieve last year? I'm not non-patriotic, but ...."
Mona Shores Public Schools Superintendent Dave Peden said he believes most classrooms in his district already have flags, and that the elementary students already recite the pledge. Mona Shores High School put flags in all classrooms a couple of years ago, though reciting the Pledge will be new for students there, Peden said.
Peden didn't think forcing schools to provide the Pledge was necessarily appropriate, suggesting that instead "maybe every family should say it before they leave in the morning."
"If it increases student achievement, I'm all for it. I've not been able to make that connection yet," Peden said. "If we felt it was important, we would have already been doing it. Now that we're forced to, we'll be doing it.
"But in the big scheme of things, what difference does it make?" he said. "We have so many other things to worry about.

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