A sixth-grade Michigan boy hasn’t returned to school after an awful first week that he says involved a teacher assaulting him after he refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. WDIV4 reports:
[Student Stone Chaney] had just started his first week at East Middle School, but his family isn't sure if he'll go back. Stone said he felt his rights were violated when he didn't stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
"The teacher consultant comes up behind me and snatches me out of my chair violently," Stone said. "I was so confused. I didn't know what was going on."
Stone said the homeroom teacher tried to force him to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance.
"I don't stand because I don't pledge to a flag," Stone said. "I pledge to God and family."
The kid sounds reasonable enough. Why shouldn’t this child exercise his right to free speech? He isn’t doing anything to anyone and it’s one of the least disruptive forms of self-expression by a student that a school could ask for.
The teacher is now on leave while they investigate the incident. Watch a segment about it below: