There´s got to be a reason why VA split from these people.

So the kids control the school?
Why are they paying a salary to a Principal?

Interesting? No mention of what else is played and they were required to stand for. Check out he Charleston Daily Mail.

Headline this time next year:

"A Kanawha County principal cancelled school for the rest of the year because students complained they were being forced to attend it."

I suggest canceling school.

There is a lot more to this story than is let on in this article. Apparently the problem is that the principal was including the "Black National Anthem" as well, punishing students who refused to stand for that, and going on the public address system to attack those students who would not.

In addition, one of the so-called "disruptive activities" was students doing homework.

And remember -- in the midst of WWII the Supreme Court ruled that schools cannot force students to say the pledge or stand for the national anthem. This clown has no leg to stand on.

Many moons ago when I attended high school, 2 or 3 surly, apathetic teen agers decided to not stand during the Pledge over the PA system one morning.

The home room teacher saw what was going on and went nuclear: "My brothers died for that Flag", she bellowed, "And you will show the proper respect by standing up!"

That got their attention. They promptly bounced out of their chairs and recited the Pledge. No one in that home room ever dared that again.

End of controversy.

End of discussion.

History lesson for #1. 55 counties SPLIT from Virginia in 1863 to become West Virginia. No excuse however for this crap. Has to be those Californians who have moved into the state. Sarcasm.

#8 -- The proper response to that teacher would have been "No, your brother died for the Constitution of the United States, not a piece of cloth. The First Amendment means that the government cannot force me to profess that which I do not believe."

Clinton Giles is a long time race hustler.
This is more about the kids that refused to
stand for the "Black National Anthem" that he was trying to pass off as some sort of kumbayah sweetness and light song.

Gee, that´s strange. Was it the Constitution that was raised over Mt. Surabachi? Is it the Constitution that´s draped over the caskets of out honored dead?
And what Constitutional Right does a student have to disrupt class with impunity?

W Va was set up as a state as a favor for supporting Union in Civil War. Ask some of the counties and towns that were placed in W Va w/o their consent. The Union Congress told VA residents to use Federal Courts in a new state.

I estimate W Va is so economically backward due to its mountain isolation and the fact it is so dependent upon Federal Government spending. Also seems that it has been involved in crony capitalizm for generations - press ownership, Senators, Congressmen - pay a ´finders fee´ and you´ll get the business/contract.

So what explains why W Va votes for a democrat Senator and US House Reps and then sees the coal industry is being killed by the EPA? I think it gets back to my question - - does it start in the public schools or does it go back to the people that settled the state?

#12 -- I have no allegiance to a mass-produced piece of cloth that was likely made in China. What I do have allegiance to is the Constitution itself and the nation formed by it.

And as for your "disrupt class with impunity" remark, may I refer you to these two decisions, including one made by the Supreme Court during WWII:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia_State_Board_of_Education_v._Barnette

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_District

Now if the students are causing an actual disruption -- as opposed to simply refusing to follow an arbitrarily demanded ritual that no government official (including a principal or classroom teacher) may legitimately impose upon them -- then we have an entirely different set of circumstances, and one where the issue is not the refusal to stand or participate in said ritual.

#14 (#7 and #10 for that matter), No -there is no ´proper´ response to the teacher. What you´re proposing is an insubordinate retort.

What is the flag to you? Is it just a piece of cloth or does the flag represent something more. Is a marriage ring just a piece of metal or does the ring represent the binding of two people?

You may personally assign no value to a material object that you see. But others may do. And when you dismiss or mock the value that other place on an object, do not be surprised by their individual or a collective negative reaction.

Consequences? For starters, ask what happened to that retirement home worker who posted a picture of herself flipping off the sign in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Given the totalitarian impulse of the teacher in question, he deserved no respectful reply, but instead deserved an education on REAL American principles.

Now does the flag mean something more to me? Yes, it does -- but is my allegiance to the piece of cloth or to the country and the values contained in the Constitution. I gladly pledge allegiance to them -- but not to the symbol.

And to take your wedding ring analogy -- my vows are to my God and my wife, not to the piece of metal. Indeed, I grew up in a household where my father NEVER wore a wedding ring -- but where there was never any doubt as to his devotion to my mother and to we boys.

By the way -- I don´t dismiss the value you or somebody else may place in that piece of cloth (which is apparently superior to the value you place on the Constitution). But you have no right to force your value system on to me -- and the school (and in the example I responded to, the teacher) has no right to force that value on the student who does not share it. That is settled Constitutional law.

By the way, let me offer to you the words of the first of the two cases I cited above -- "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us."

Our flag represents freedom,from the first one that was made over two hundred years ago to the millions now made in china .

I don´t know about anyone being a "race hustler" but the truth is that this article is misleading. This is about some kids not wanting to stand or participate in "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (which SOME people call the Black National Anthem but I don´t believe the song has any race associated with it besides the fact it was written by a black man to be performed for Lincoln´s birthday in 1900 by a segreggated black school). I think it is silly to claim it to be of any particular race. It is a song for all people. But it is NOT the National Anthem and that needs to be cleared up.

And no, the kids don´t have a problem with the National Anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance.

While they are at it, why don´t they also ban American History and Civics (Political Science) since it might offend some black, hispanic, muslim, atheist or any other person who hates America.

Oh wait, they no longer require govn´t schools to teach this because it offends 1 person in the class.

You know what, fat people, people who do not bathe, people who wear pants beneath their posterior, people who were jeggings with cellulite all offend me. Should they be banned?

Is that what America is coming to? Where every conceivable sensitivity has to be addressed and resolved. How about growing a spine and stop controlling other people´s lives.