Old Glory Radio

Old GLory Radio interview with parent at ground zero in Woodbury Vermont concerning the Banning of the Pledge of Allegiance in classrooms as reported by the AP and Fox News. Audio interview at bottom of posting. 11/21/08

Discussion thread on this topic via Free Republic……..….

************** Press Release Friday, November 21, 2008 12:00 pm EST From: Woodbury, Vermont School Board RE: The Pledge of Allegiance **************

WOODBURY, VERMONT: The Woodbury School Board members wish to make a statement regarding the misinformation in the media about the situation related to the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in the Woodbury Elementary School. — It has been the tradition at Woodbury Elementary School for more than ten years to recite the Pledge at the weekly school assembly. At some point in the previous school year, the Pledge was dropped from the meeting. This was not intentional, but an oversight due to scheduling conflicts in the weekly assembly. When the situation was brought to the attention of the Principal, the weekly recitation was returned to the weekly school meeting. — A petition signed by over 300 registered voters in Woodbury requested that the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance “.be made part of the school day routine.” The Board asked the school staff to come up with a way to comply with the desire of the community, which they did. — Currently, the whole school community (consisting of 55 children plus teachers) assembles each morning in a large foyer connecting the four classrooms of the school. As the children stand, a sixth grader is in charge of reading the announcements and leading the Pledge. The students remain in the foyer for recitation of the Pledge and then step back into their classrooms after the Pledge has been recited. Those children and teachers with a religious or philosophical belief that makes recitation of the Pledge a violation of their conscience have the option to abstain from the recitation. — The Pledge has not been “banned” from the classroom, nor has “under God” been banned. The board has now voted twice to support the decision of the staff to incorporate recitation of the pledge into the school day routine as requested by the petition. At this point, the staff has chosen to have the 55 students at Woodbury Elementary School recite the Pledge as a community (as it has traditionally been done) rather than in their individual classrooms. — This conversation has never been about should the Pledge be said, but about how often and where it should be said. The Pledge is now said on a daily basis in the Woodbury Elementary School and there is overwhelming support among parents and students for this current arrangement. ************** Contact: Retta Dunlap, chair of board PO BOX 72 Woodbury, VT 05681 = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

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