Sure, what did I miss?

He shouldn't have - Supreme Court upheld your right to do that in the 40s: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette

Mr Wright, Can I ask you why you chose not to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance?

@ Mary, I guess I never bought into the idolatry of it, and I had assumed it was my right to do so. He evidently disagreed, and that actually started my downward spiral. After that, I got suspended for trying to make the case that I should be able to wear my hat... outside... because it was, you know, cold out. They told me it was against the rules. I said it was a stupid rule. They told me we could "discuss it in private." I told them that there was nothing to discuss. I got suspended for a week, and never came back. I guess I just don't know when the fix is in, so to speak. Authority always seems to win, even in this case where logic was on my side in both instances.

Logic is rarely the strong point of our public schools, unfortunately...

Luckily for you Mr Wright, we live in the U.S., where you have the freedom to choose...... at least we dont have to bow to a photo when we enter a room, for now anyways.

With all due respect, if he has the right to choose, why give him a hard time over it?

With all due respect Mr G, Hard time? I beg your pardon!

Nick I think you need to get your facts straight...When you were in the homeroom I was not the homeroom teacher, I shared that room with another teacher...I did have you for Civics and if I threw you out of class it was for other reasons...those were my first years in the system and I had a duty not a homeroom....still here if you need or wanted to talk.

MLB, you absolutely were my homeroom teacher. It was in the old building, I believe on the 3rd floor. I'm going to say... 1998? That sounds about right, though it could have been 1999. It was the last year of my attending MHS, before I was told it was in my best interest to drop out and join the Army by Mr. Lyons (who I honestly think was looking out for my best interest, even though in retrospect that was terrible advice.)

When else would we do the Pledge, Mr. Lightbody? Of course it was during homeroom. I don't know if we're getting into semantics over your title or something, but you took role call, in the morning, prior to the 1st period. During that time, we did the Pledge of Allegiance, and you told me that I was not welcome in your room if I refused to do it so I left and never came back. :P These are facts.

I still think you were a top notch teacher, I just think you let your personal beliefs get in the way in that instance. Sometimes, we make mistakes. We're all human.

Thanks. I actually did a fairly large project on student rights as my senior thesis in high school, so it sprung to memory. Funny how the mind works, even in its dotage :)

Haha, excellent constitution joke, and fair point about network TV. Maybe we can use the George Carlin standard? I guess I don't want to erase posts just because someone says "hell" "damn" or "ass", etc. but would have to intervene for some of the bigger ones that we all know and love.

Ahhhh, the infamous "Nasty 7" LOL. Don't forget the "71" he created.....LMAO. Chris I didn't think you were old enought to know the Naasty 7?

Greg I am kind of a stand-up comedian nerd: I love new folks but also the "oldies," like Carlin, Lenny Bruce and the Smothers Brothers. I actually had the sublime privilege of catching Carlin's act once in his later years .

Haha, 28. Just a little joke :)

Best I can do is a tiny horse... http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm7w0rmf7f1qzs6oc.jpg

I want a petite lap giraffe!

I was told there'd be punch and pie.

There was until the tiny horse got here. That thing is incorrigible.

Unreal, you just can't take that thing anywhere.

Ah! Thanks.

Don't worry about it. A policy like that is not in the cards.