Colonie Teacher Physically Forced Student to Stand for Pledge
I went to Catholic school growing up so we'd start every morning with a prayer and the pledge. According to a mother, a North Colonie student was required by force to stand against their religious beliefs and the situation was not handled appropriately.
Erin Moore's 6 year old daughter is a student at Southgate Elementary School in the North Colonie Central School. According to the mother, who reported the story to CBS 6, the little girl didn't stand for the pledge for religious reasons. The substitute at the time grabbed the little girl by the arm and forced her hand to her chest. The girl tried explaining the reason she wasn't participating but the teacher allegedly said "when she's there, she will do the pledge."
Moore and her family are Jehovah's Witnesses. According to their religion, the flag is looked at as a false idol and therefore they don't pledge to it, only to God. Moore is mostly upset by how the teacher went about it instead what she actually did. She's asking that the substitute apologize and for the school to document what happened. So far, all the school as said is that they were made aware of the situation and assured her that it wouldn't happen again.
I'm not particularly familiar with Jehovah's Witnesses and their beliefs but based on what Moore said, it didn't seem like it was an act against the flag specifically. Based on what Moore said, what do you think of what happened?