All eyes have been on the NFL this past week, as players and teams are taking a knee in protest during the national anthem. In a method of demonstration initiated by former San Francisco 49er Colin Kaepernick just last year, kneeling during the country's anthem has become a symbol for players taking a stance against police brutality and racism. President Trump spoke out against the act during a rally in Alabama, as well as through a series of tweets, expressing his belief that all players protesting should be fired from the league - setting an example for school administrations dealing with similar political expressions.
The controversy surrounding taking a knee has spread to schools across the country, where student athletes have been seen following in the footsteps of professional players on their high school fields. But it wasn't until a 6-year-old boy went down on one knee in his classroom during the pledge of allegiance that parents began to realize that the political issue may need their attention.
In a first-grade classroom in Pasco County, Fla., on Monday, a young boy was reprimanded by his teacher for kneeling during the Pledge of Allegiance. Without being offered an opportunity to discuss his reasoning behind the action, the boy was told to stand up and stop his protest.
"I just wanted to let you know that this morning when it was time to do the Pledge of Allegiance, [your son] went down on one knee," the student's teacher told his mother through a text message. "I knew where he had seen it but I did tell him that in the classroom we are learning what it means to be a good citizen we're learning about respecting the United States of America and our country symbols and showing loyalty and patriotism and that we stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I know its a sensitive issue but I wanted to make you aware. Thanks"
The boy's mother immediately took her case to the school's principal, requesting that her son be placed in a different class. And although the school complied, it continued to support the teacher's actions, which led the mother to share her upset with the local news station. She told the ABC affiliate that she encourages her son to "have an open mind and make decisions" and felt that was discouraged in this situation - a sentiment that child and family psychologist Barbara Greenberg agrees with.
"I am never a believer in public shame; there is nothing worse," Greenberg tells Yahoo Lifestyle. "This child is probably a curious child if he's watching what's going on in his culture. Talk to the kid quietly about his thoughts and his views - that's what should have happened."
Pasco County School District spokesperson Linda Cobbe previously explained that the school was simply following state law. However, the district's assistant superintendent, Kevin Shibley, has since issued a letter to educators about how best to handle a similar situation in the future, with a focus on avoiding public confrontations.
The idea of public shame is something that's intertwined with the topic, as the president has spoken openly about firing professional players who take a knee during the anthem. Following suit, a school in Louisiana issued a statement on Thursday telling students that they would be removed from their sports teams if they chose to kneel.
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