Guilderland resident urges district review after students say teachers pressured those who declined pledge

At the May 6 meeting, retired teacher Rosemary Harrigan reported two separate accounts from 15-year-old students who said a homeroom teacher berated students for declining to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance and told them they could be deported. Harrigan said another student was later chastised in a different classroom and told to report to the principal.

Harrigan reminded the board and audience that the student handbook states students are not required to participate in the pledge but must inform the principal before declining; she said many students and some teachers were unaware of that procedure and urged the district to review the policy and its legal basis. "Students do not have to participate in the pledge," Harrigan said, and she recommended a staff meeting, a letter to parents and consultation with the district attorney to ensure the principal-notification requirement is consistent with court decisions.

Harrigan referenced a 2006 Florida court case, Frasier v. Alexander, in which she said the district was ordered to pay $32,500 after a student was ridiculed by a teacher; she warned that requiring students to report to the principal might chill students' exercise of free speech.

The board took the comments under advisement but did not respond substantively during the public-comment period.

Why it matters: The remarks raise questions about staff understanding of student rights and district procedures around the pledge and suggest the board and administration consider clarifying training and communications to reduce confusion and potential legal risk.