The Florida delegation consisting of Senator Greg Evers, Representative Doug Broxson, and Representative Mike Hill invite Santa RosaCounty citizens to take part in a public hearing regarding proposed legislation affecting the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. The hearing comes a month and a half after Santa Rosa School District Superintendant Tim Wyrosdick reluctantly had signs placed in classrooms letting students know it’s their right not to say the pledge.
Currently, Florida statute 1003.44 says when, by whom, how, and in what manner students must recite the pledge. The statute includes the pledge itself. It also says, “Each student shall be informed by posting a notice in a conspicuous place that the student has the right not to participate in reciting the pledge. Upon written request by his or her parent, the student must be excused from reciting the pledge.” As widely reported at the end of October of this year, this notice went up in Santa RosaCounty schools after a parent complained.
Wyrosdick said he wants an updated law. “We felt strongly that the law on the books now disadvantaged school districts. It is an old law. It is antiquated and outdated as interpreted by the Eleventh Circuit Court in Atlanta. The law needs clarity.”
The three goals Wyrosdick has for a new law are letting the student code of conduct be a sufficient place to include the aforementioned notice, clarifying if a minor student’s parents need notification if the student does not want to stand, and adding a note saying students may not disrupt the Pledge.
Broxson said, “We are a citizen legislature and so the bill should have input by the citizens.” He said the hearing will be the place to air opinions on this subject. “There will be surely emotion there from those who do not want to say the Pledge…I think it’s a good thing to air out and do it right and put a law in effect to deal with the issue fairly and transparently and that's what we're going to do,” he said, but hopes for a peaceful discourse.
Broxson expounded on one of the provisions Wyrosdick mentioned saying a letter or the student handbook should be a sufficient location to place the notice to students of their right to not say the Pledge rather than a notice under every flag in every classroom. “It’s inviting children to be children.” He noted, too, some of those students who say the pledge today will be the same ones tomorrow losing their limbs or lives in serving the country.
For those who can’t make the event, follow the Santa Rosa Press Gazette for a recap of the event.
Want to go?
What: Public Hearing on Pledge of Allegiance legislation
Where: Pace High School Freedom Hall
When: Tuesday, December 15 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Public input sought on pledge of allegiance legislation