Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Once a Week! This Week: Mr. P

I have gotten some requests to blog in English. So, maybe, if I get some feed back I will do just that. I will do it once a week, the rest of the week it will be in Swedish, as usual.
What I have on my mind this week is a little story about the "Pledge of Allegiance".

Karolina and I were watching an episode of "Full House" recently. My daughter loves that show, and as often as I feel like it (only every once in a while can I tolerate that fluffy-cute stuff) I watch it with her. Anyway, the other night we were watching an episode in which Stephanie and DJ were about to start school after their summer vacation. DJ told her little sister about the "pledge of allegiance", and she stood up and put her right hand over her heart. Then she rambled off "the pledge" just like a robot. I was laughing and asked Karolina if that was the way it worked in her school as well? No, my daughter said, we don't do "the pledge" because Mr. P doesn't believe that we have to perform that every day .
I almost fell off the bed. What!!!??? You don't do the pledge???
No, she said, Mr. P says he doesn't believe in doing such things, so when they announce "the pledge" on the TV ( school network)we just do other things.
I asked Karolina what she thought about that? She told me that the whole class thought it was "great" not having to do "the pledge".
I say: MORE POWER TO HIM!!!!!!
I wish there were more teachers like Mr. P out there. Teachers that would stand up for what they believe in, teachers that are strong enough to say NO to the forced "pledge".
I am so proud that my daughter has a teacher like Mr. P! Mr. P had also told my daughter's class that he did not do "the pledge" even once with his previous class.
I cannot help but wonder how much Mr. P must have fought for this, fought for his right to say no to something as big as "The Pledge of Allegiance", but you can bet on that it must have been hard for him to fight for something like this.

I think the U.S is the only country in the western world that are forcing their students to ramble of a saying like "The pledge of allegiance" every morning. I have never, ever been a supporter of that kind of force-feed, and therefor I am so happy that Karolina has such a strong and independent teacher this year.

All right, this is my first entry for my English speaking friends. Please do comment, if you'd like to, that is! I will listen! Keep on checking back next Tuesday again. My blog is about everything: fashion, glamour, every-day life, friends and family, popular-culture AND things that annoy me, OR things that I like. I also post photos on it every now and then. I hope you will follow me along! Once a week!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love the new feature! I was having difficulty translating from Swedish to English. This makes it a whole lot easier. I will definitely tune in on Tuesdays.

I have to say that Mr. P certainly is sticking his neck out in refusing to have his classes say the Pledge. The Pledge is something as American as Apple Pie. Often his refusal can be seen as something unpatriotic; especially with what's going on in the world when America is seemingly being attacked all over the world. However, isn't his refusal a means in following what makes this country great? We can choose not to participate for reasons that are personal to each one of us. And if Mr. P and the kids in his class choose not to recite the Pledge, I say they are exercising the freedoms which we fought so hard to establish and maintain.

Anyway, keep up to entries in English! I look forward to the next one.

Anonymous said...

Hi love, I am glad that I can finally read your blog. I will look forward to it every week. I agree with the first comment. Nobody should be forced to do something against their wishes. This country is based on freedoms that allow diversity in our beliefs and that diversity needs to be tolerated and embraced. It is good to be patriotic but it is also good to question your government. I look forward to your next entry. love you, Pebo.

Annika said...

Ano..: I will definetly keep the Tuesday entry going. Please do check back every Tuesday. The pledge is as American as Apple Pie, only less sweet and little more forced. You know what I mean...

PeBo: We should both be happy that K is a student at SVES! I agree with what you have to say Love!

Anonymous said...

The thing is that no one is forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Any child can opt out at any time. While I know that peer pressure may make them feel like they have to participate, there is no requirement to do so. Jehovah's Witnesses are opposed to saying the pledge of allegiance -- or any other kind of pledge -- and their followers have always opted out, even followers who are military officers. I had a boy in my 4th grade class who did that every day and no one thought anything of it. As an adult, I understand and believe in the words of the pledge of allegiance (who could oppose words that express support for liberty and freedom?) and I say it gladly. However, I think that most young kids have no idea what they are saying when they recite the pledge. Instead, for them, I believe that the pledge represents a way of establishing a common bond amongst people of all types, a way of saying we are all in this together. Having said that, I would never support mandatory recitation. I do support it being taught in school though.

Good post Annika -- food for thought.

Annika said...

melinda: You are pointing out some interestings facts here. I don't think the kids know what they are saying either, meaning the words of the pledge. It is hard NOT to give in to peer-pressure. But, I don't think there is a need for a pledge--Anywhere. BUT that is my opinion. And as all of you have posted above, that is the beauty of living in the western world. We are all entitled to our opinions. And no, I would never urge Karolina NOT to stand up for the pledge. It really does not bother me all that much in the long run.

Melinda, Thanks for your comment!!! I appreciate it so much! Keep on coming back!

Anonymous said...

Love your blog & will watch for it each week. I guess I think that the kids should say the pledge at school, but nothing should be forced. Wrote a long comment yesterday, only to have it disappear. So, I'm brief today!

Annika said...

Margo: You did publish today!!! Welcome! No, no forcement at all, I agree! Glad you like the blog. Hope to see you on Tuesday again!!