Michigan Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on September 13, 2011

Click here to view bill details.

Is the state going to fund the schools to purchase the flags, stands, etc?  Are you going to require charter schools to do the same? Is this an example of another 'regulation'?  I thought the Republicans don't like regulations - or is it they just don't like regyulations they don't agree with?

 You got it.  More and more social engineering, more and more regulation, more and more education used as a political football.

 Agreed, complete waste of time regulating the Pledge of Allegiance. 

It's all about God and the evangelicals making sure we keep God around in public schools.

Of course, God didn't arrive until 1954 when the US got scared about the Godless Communists.

I personally thank God every day we have this little pledge as a distraction from solving real problems in Michigan.

For liberty and justice for all....

The Oben

People shouldn't be too surprised, they voted for republicans, the party that's against new taxes and government intrusion, and what did they get? New taxes (on pensions), and now government intrusion into the classroom. What they failed to tell you is the new taxes and government intrusion they were against was only what the democrat's proposed. They've got a whole list of new taxes and government intrusions of their own to spring on us.

 So you don't like our schools flying the American Flag,or reciting the pledge?Or is it because this bill was proposed by a Republican?

 

I like the schools flying our flag, and I like people reciting the pledge of allegiance. What I don't like is the mandate from the government to do so.

gypsy:

I like the schools flying our flag, and I like people reciting the pledge of allegiance. What I don't like is the mandate from the government to do so.

 

 Wrong again ,this passed 31-5 in the Senate. There is no mandate to say the pledge it actually is to protect someone from being bullied for not saying the pledge. Do you ever read the actual bill ?

Sorry OldVet2, it's you who needs to read the bill. It does require a flag in every classroom, it does require recitation of the pledge and it does require schools to assure no one who refuses to recite the pledge gets bullied. 

This looks like a solution looking for a problem.  I've worked in schools for 15+ years and every morning in every school I've worked in, the pledge is recited - voluntarily.  Seems we dealt with the mandated "loyalty oath" thing a few decades ago.  Loyalty has to be earned.  It can't be legislated.  This is political posturing.  

I still don`t understand what is the purpose of this bill, there are a lot of students out there that try their best to achieve Prestigious careers and they must be helped, reciting Pledge of Allegiance won`t change anything in our educational system. Now students are imposed to recite this every day, it`s a good idea but unfortunately this won`t help anyone.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with a young kid reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag during his/her time at school. If they opt out...........stand aside and pick your nose or whatever. Do not deprive a kid that loves his country and wants to express this love before hitting the books. We all know that liberals will fight this for whatever reason and then want our troops to salute their liberal President who could care less about the troops but then they don't want these young school kids who will later join the service to say the Pledge of Allegiance. ?????????

 The bill passed the house with 100% Republican and 82% Democratic approval-but it's still a "Republican" bill?

I also feel the kids shouldn't have to say "under God" if they don't believe in God, or let them insert the name of their "God".

Senators Kahn, Richardville and Hildenbrand asked and were granted unanimous consent to make statements and moved that the statements be printed in the Journal. The motion prevailed. Senator Kahn’s statement is as follows: Senate Bill No. 637 is the companion to House Bill No. 4934, which, I believe, we will be acting on shortly. This bill and its companion bill are bills that deal with the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance in our school system and the provision of flags in those schools. The flags can be within the classrooms where the pledge is said. Michigan is one of seven states in the country that does not have some type of state law requiring the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited in public schools. Mr. President, most states do have a statute that calls for the pledge to be recited on a daily basis; in fact, more than 40 do so. With the passage of this bill, we will be providing that the state of Michigan enter on with its sister states, the group that, in fact, encourages, inculcates, and provides for the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance throughout the school systems and throughout all grades. I ask that this bill be passed and its companion House Bill No. 4934 when it comes to Third Reading.

I don`t know if every child would do that.Maybe they could introduce this in public schools.As a parent I`m worried about public school security and I would not let my child go there.

I was thinking of becoming an officer, but in this moment I am studying programming. I read about this new Senate Bill. Under the new rule, a school failing to comply would lose its accreditation. It would apply to kindergarten through high school, but only public schools. Private schools would not be subject to the law, and would not risk losing their accreditation if they don't implement a daily Pledge of Allegiance.

 "Do not deprive a kid that loves his country and wants to express this love . . . "  What a cretin, you are Salad!  A 5 year old has only been speaking real words for 2 years when they enter kindergarten.  They don't know what a country is, let alone understand heartfelt love for a geopolitical theory of a defined homeland.  Many adults aren't sure what that means, either.  Ask any 10 year old what indivisible under God means.  The average 9th grader probably doesn't realize or understand what they've been forcibly "reciting" everyday for years on end.  And there's a whole lot of people that are asking, "Where's the justice?" or, "Why don't I have the liberty to call my income 'capital gains' ?" 

Besides, they haven't been deprived.  They've been taking the pledge every day, anyway.  So where's the problem?

The problem with this and all the other meaningless crap coming from our legislatiors is the clear indication that these morons are going to waste the next several years doing nothing, addressing nothing, accomplishing nothing, solving nothing.  What effort they do expend will be to help themselves with higher salaries, better healthcare, and lifelong benefits.  If they have any time left at all, they might spend it pushing Michigan back to the 1950's when men were white and women kept their mouths shut.  By then they'll be too tired to help the citizens of Michigan, help the working people, help the middle class.  They won't even think about the impoverished, the mentally ill, families falling apart, and homeless children.  But as you would say, we probably expect too much from government, anyway.