Texas School Denies Freedom of Speech

Yesterday the television was on at work, and, while it was on mute—“President” _____ was speaking so it’s best to have it on mute—I read the chiron where _____ was saying that NFL owners “must not allow” their players to take a knee during the national anthem. And I thought, if we start doing things that way, how many more of our freedoms and rights will the higher ups “not allow.”

Then I came across this story ...

At a recent student assembly at Midland High School in ... where else ... Texas, students were led to believe, or were told, that choosing to sit during the Pledge of Allegiance is against the law; it’s a crime, y’all.

Now, news reports aren’t clarifying what the presentation was all about, but there is no mistake that this slide ...

... was shown to students during the assembly. And officials from Midland High School claimed the slide was taken out of context, even though the message is quite clear.

Stand. Or else.

Now, even though school officials are saying the message was taken out of context, Woodrow Baily, a district official, said if students don’t want to stand for the pledge, they’re free to provide a note from their parents excusing them.

And that’s a lie, too. In 1943, when America was supposedly ‘great,’ the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment protects students from being forced to stand during the Pledge. It isn’t a crime to stay seated; it isn’t a crime to not place your hand over your heart; it isn’t a crime to kneel during the national anthem.

But some of those folks in positions of authority are trying to decide what they will “allow” people to do, from professional athletes to students in a school. And, if you’re okay with that, if you’re okay with losing your Freedom of Speech, how many more of your freedoms are you willing to lose because I guarantee if we keep on this way, one day none of us will be free to do or say anything.

And won’t America be great then?

DeadState