My job currently brings me to schools all across the U.S., and this past year I noticed that after the standard pledge of allegiance, kids in Texas then recite a pledge to the Texas flag. And I’m just wondering if anyone knew the exact reasons behind the pledge. Or is there no real reason beyond a strong state pride? I know that other states have pledges to their own flags but I haven’t noticed it being a requirement to recite it as part of school routine. Is it found in other aspects of Texas society, or is it really just a school related thing? I would truly appreciate any insight that can be given.
We always had to do it every day growing up. Heck, we had to sing the national anthem every day of elementary school, until the tape broke. I’m 25.
“I salute the flag, of the state of New Mexico, the Zia symbol, and perfect friendship among united cultures.” It was said with our right hand held out, as if offering a helping hand.
I’m from Texas, and I’m going to be 29 in a few weeks. Although I don’t remember ever having to salute the flag. We did the Pledge of Allegiance.
thinks
I attended a MO school for most of my elementary years, and we never saluted the state flag there, either.
Of course, anecdote != data, so YMMV.
Out of curiosity, what do you do that takes you to schools across the country?
As to the Texas Pledge, the state legislature requires that all school children K - 12 recite the US and Texas pledges each day. That law was passed in the 2003 session, I think. I could be wrong. I can look up the actual relevant law, if you’re that interested.
For the record, the Texas pledge is:
Honor the Texas Flag.
I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas,
One state, under God,
One and indivisible.
Truly, a fine piece of poetry. :rolleyes: The words “under God” were added by the last legislature. After both pledges, the school must observe one minute of silence. That, by the way, is truly one minute – sixty seconds. Texas children attend school 180 days per year. That’s 180 minutes of silence. Yes, folks. The Texas legislature mandates that the schools do nothing for three hours per year. I will stop here before I further stray from GQ territory.
Most adults don’t know the pledge at all. When I was a kid, we had to do the US pledge, but not the Texas pledge. I didn’t even know there was a Texas pledge.
If it really had to do with state pride, I wish it were a better piece of poetry more evocative of Texas’ storied history and promising future.
Just another indication of the idiots that run the state that I live in.
I’m not Texan, I just live here.
Now that’s pretty interesting (well, at least to me).
I work for a traveling museum of sorts. I give presentations of what life was like for the pioneers of the 1850s. Geared towards elementary schools with different displays and activities to get the kids involved.
Ah, I was hoping it would be a bit more juicy than that. I wonder what brought about the new desire to incorporate the pledge, especially when it is, as you mentioned, not exactly a stunning example of writing. Thanks for the info.
I grew up in Texas (this was in the 60s and 70s) and although there was no mandatory Texas pledge, this doesn’t surprise me now. I do recall singing the Texas state song and studing Texas history in school.
I live in the Midwest now, and in retrospect the whole Texas superiority complex seems pathologically extreme. It’s obvious just driving down any highway in the state: every business is called something like “Texas Pride Body Shop” or “Lone Star Coin Laundry.” I have relatives who literally thought I had lost my mind when I moved to Illinois (which my mom sneeringly called “Yankee-land”). So a Texas pledge seems perfectly in character; I’m surprised they don’t call it the Texas loyalty oath.
As I recall, the move to have kids recite it at school came about during the wave of nationalism after the 9/11 attacks. The Texas legislature meets for 140 days every two years, so they were not able to enact the law until later. (Some say the Texas Constitution has a typo and that it’s supposed to read that the legislature should meet for two days every 140 years.) I have no idea when this incredibly moving prose was actually written or what illiterate Texan came up with it.
Texas pride may be a bit pathological, but our history is unique. Right now, the idiots do seem to be in charge. I am working to help change that.
I’ll concur with the post-9/11 nationalism as far as the compulsory recitation in schools, but the pledge itself goes back to 1933 as far as being official. Up until recently, though, most people in the state had never heard of it and/or paid no attention to it. Now, just everyone outside of school pays no attention to it.
Wow. I grew up in New Mexico I never new there was a New Mexico pledge. We said the pledge of allegiance to the united plates of asparagus every morning until middle school.
Is it against the law to burn a Texas flag in Texas?
I’ve lived in Texas all my life and never knew that there was a Texas pledge until this legislation was passed.
Apparently, if other states have a pledge, it’s a display of their culture. If Texas has one, it’s because they’re idiots.
I think if any state has legalized mandatory recitation of a pledge, then that state’s government is idiotic. Didn’t the US Supreme Court declare that one may not be forced to make such a pledge?
The state, vis a vis the public schools, does not force anyone to recite the pledges. However, the school shall lead such a recitation. If a student chooses not to participate, that is his/her right. Obviously, six year-olds are very adept at exercising their right to be different.
I am a Texas public school teacher. Fortunately, I do not have students in the room when the pledges come over the PA. I completely ignore them and the moment of silence. I have too much to do to put up with such nonsense.
Several years ago, I had an important meeting with the superintendent and principal. (No, I was not in trouble and neither was anyone else.) During the meeting, the pledges came on. We stopped the conversation and stood and did the pledges and prayer – I mean “moment of silence”. It was among the more stupid things I’ve had to do at school.
This one made me laugh out loud! Aren’t Texans and idiots synonymous*?
yearofstatic, which part’s interesting?
Come to think of it, I remember doing it in high school and at least one of the elementary schools I attended, but don’t remember specifically doing it at two of the elementary schools or middle school.
*I kid, I kid!!!
That’s the Texas pledge? I could write a better one than that.
I pledge allegiance to Texas
One big state, better than the rest
God, guns, and guts made us the best
So don’t mess with Texas
I think I’ve told this story before, but what the heck.
When we lived in Texas in 1997-99, my two little brothers (referenced earlier on these boards as Prepubescent Dr. Demento and Child Genius; currently the “prepubescent” and “child” no longer apply) were in first grade and Kindergarten. The Pledge of Allegiance and the Pledge to Texas were recited every morning at both institutions. Of course, not being from the United States, pledging allegiance to said country could be considered kind of silly, but hey, it was a way of learning English and fitting in with their classmates, and come on, they were five and three, it’s not like it would damage them for life.
So. Being native Finnish speakers who had not yet acquired too many English skills, my brothers duly recited the Pledges every morning, but it seems they didn’t quite grasp the more difficult words, or in fact many words at all. For shits and giggles, my father got them to recite their versions of the Pledges. I then transcribed them.
I pledge a leadance to the frag
of the Nine Steaks of America.
And to the powder it stings
one nation, under Cod,
indibisible,
with liverty and justance frog.
Honor the Texas flag.
I pledge a leadance to be Texas
one and indibisible.
Have a nice day.
was one version. I think the other one had something about “the United Space” and “liberty and justice boor all”.
My father thought this was the most hilarious thing he had seen in a while, and he sent the transcripts by e-mail to some of his Finnish colleagues at work. And good times were had by all.
The following summer, I was back in Finland and visiting a good friend of mine. Her father, who does not work even in the same field as mine, brought out an e-mail printout and asked “Does this look familiar? I thought maybe these would be your little brothers because I recognized the weird names.” It had been forwarded through approximately 15 companies.
It is law for the schools to lead this recitation?
I recall hearing somewhere that the USA has something in their constitution about separation of church and state. Wouldn’t this be anti-constitutional?
From what I understand it’s still a fluid concept at this point. While some references to God are against the law other’s are perfectly allowed. For instance, “In God we Trust” is still on US money despite many redesigns.
An athiest father brought a lawsuit a couple years ago to throw out “under God” from the pledge but was found to not have standing to have brought the lawsuit in the first place; providing a perfect opportunity to avoid ruling on the issue.
You’re referring to the anti-establishment clause of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. It prohibits the Federal government from establishing or endorsing a state religion.
That is the entire First Amendment
It does not, however, prohibit the states from establishing religion. That has been extended to states that receive Federal funds, which would be everyone.
IMHO, the Under God that was added to the Texas pledge was done to set up a lawsuit to settle the issue. This time, it wouldn’t be in liberal California, but in conservative Texas.