Is this an appropriate response from a government teacher?

That's a completely approprite response. You were being a complete dick. I mean, not respecting your country!? That's twisted shit. It's your freedom to be disrespectful. But you're obviously going through a rebellious teenage stage. Probably watched some Liberal Iraq war documentary or something. Most people I saw go through their "fight the man" stage, grew out of it. It offends people like me that people like you can't appreciate the sacrifices that have been made. Especially in a time of war were we have 1-3 soldiers die everyday, at least stand up. 

Awesome!  Americans have to stand and pledge allegiance to their country every day at school?  No wonder your country is full of aggressively patriotic citizens.

@beej said:

@Scapegoat: There's a difference between being patriotic, and calling someone else a dick for not being so. I'm asking why it is that you think the OP's a dick for not placing any national pride he might have upon a flag. Especially when the pledge contains material he might find objectionable (under god?).

The act of standing and the act of pledging are two different things.  The former shows respect for your fellow classmates.

You have to do a pledge in school? -.-

You may not like America and that is your opinion, don't let someone treat you like that. If you don't want to do it it's your choice. I suggest you to kill her in her sleep.

People whose opinion amounts to "If you don't like it then you can get out" are the least patriotic Americans. However, while you have the right to express yourself, so does your teacher. She was too dumb to know that her statements were actually more anti-american than your choice not to stand for the pledge but she still has a constitutional right to express herself as well. You could argue that she was trying to infringe on your rights by berating you but I don't know if the legal standards for infringement would cover that or not. Anyways the point is that freedom of speech goes both ways and as long as no one is infringing on your rights then constitutionally you're both right. Ethically, as a teacher, she was wrong though.

Ignorance abounds, wonder when this will get locked.

@Turambar said:

@beej said:

@Scapegoat: There's a difference between being patriotic, and calling someone else a dick for not being so. I'm asking why it is that you think the OP's a dick for not placing any national pride he might have upon a flag. Especially when the pledge contains material he might find objectionable (under god?).

The act of standing and the act of pledging are two different things.  The former shows respect for your fellow classmates.

explain this part please, that makes no fuckin sense

That's a completely approprite response. You were being a complete dick. I mean, not respecting your country!? That's twisted shit. It's your freedom to be disrespectful. But you're obviously going through a rebellious teenage stage. Probably watched some Liberal Iraq war documentary or something. Most people I saw go through their "fight the man" stage, grew out of it. It offends people like me that people like you can't appreciate the sacrifices that have been made. Especially in a time of war were we have 1-3 soldiers die everyday, at least stand up. 

@Gabriel said:

@actionTACO said:

@Twitchey said:

@actionTACO: Not the United States. In Texas you even have to say a pledge for it. Which is just like the United States pledge except shorter and substitutes America for Texas.

wow, that somehow manages to be even worse. gg texas

and lol at all the "both sides wrong" posts. have you people ever considered installing a line gauge in your figurative rectums so you can get some scientific measurements on exactly how far that metaphorical fence your all sitting on is wedged up your collective asses?

Oh I forgot being moderate isn't cool on the internet. 

How exactly are you being moderate? You just quoted a statement that called the OP and the teacher a dick. That totally fits the definition of moderate? How is it that the OP isn't allowed to be upset with his country on some level or another? Why is it the OP has to buy into insane nationalism? Why is it the OP has to export all of his feelings (ONLY GOOD ONES) onto a flag?

How about you explain more in depth why exercising your constitutionally protected right to not address a fucking flag makes you a dick. It's not necessarily your moderation that's dumb, it's your completely unwarranted claim that's made for the sake of being moderate.

Talk to your principal and if action is not taken, contact a local news station?

You have to do a pledge in school? -.-

@damnboyadvance said:

It's an inappropriate response for any adult at a high school, especially a substitute that has no idea about your background. But you have to understand that while you might not respect the country, others do, and the substitute likely saw your response as offensive. That doesn't excuse what she said, but you still could have shown more respect for her views.Although I don't quite understand why you DON'T say the pledge, I'll try and respect that.

why should he show respect to other peoples views by being submissive and obeying them?

@Maximus_VI said:

You're putting way too much value on such a dated formality

Yet the people pissed at him for it aren't? This isn't the best way to approach the situation.

By the way, after looking up the origin of the pledge I don't think I would stand for it either since it seems to have extremely unpatriotic roots.  

What a dick teacher.

The idea of forcing someone to pledge allegiance to something is pretty asinine.  The pledge in general is a retarded concept.

(before anyone bawws at me and says I hate America: I am a US Army veteran)

                    Why the hell should you be forced to respect something? Isn't America supposed to be the land of Freedom? She is completely in the wrong, you are completely in the right.

                   

               

You sound like a dick and a total attention whore, both in your actions at school and this thread. 

The idea of forcing someone to pledge allegiance to something is pretty asinine.  The pledge in general is a retarded concept.

 

(before anyone bawws at me and says I hate America: I am a US Army veteran)

@AlexW00d said:

                    Why the hell should you be forced to respect something? Isn't America supposed to be the land of Freedom? She is completely in the wrong, you are completely in the right.

                   

               

So you're saying that just because we have our freedoms, it's ok to disrespect our country by not standing up for the pledge? The fact that America lends us our freedom should on its own make us be respectful; not only to our country, but to others as well. And by not standing, you disrespect the people that made America great in the first place.

@AlexW00d said:

                    Why the hell should you be forced to respect something? Isn't America supposed to be the land of Freedom? She is completely in the wrong, you are completely in the right.

                   

               

So you're saying that just because we have our freedoms, it's ok to disrespect our country by not standing up for the pledge? The fact that America lends us our freedom should on its own make us be respectful; not only to our country, but to others as well. And by not standing, you disrespect the people that made America great in the first place.

A little over-reaction from the teacher, but you were being a little shit, to be honest. So do i feel sorry for you, HELL...... NO.

@AlexW00d said:

                    Why the hell should you be forced to respect something? Isn't America supposed to be the land of Freedom? She is completely in the wrong, you are completely in the right.

                   

               

So you're saying that just because we have our freedoms, it's ok to disrespect our country by not standing up for the pledge? The fact that America lends us our freedom should on its own make us be respectful; not only to our country, but to others as well. And by not standing, you disrespect the people that made America great in the first place.

@Scapegoat: There's a difference between being patriotic, and calling someone else a dick for not being so. I'm asking why it is that you think the OP's a dick for not placing any national pride he might have upon a flag. Especially when the pledge contains material he might find objectionable (under god?).

@beej said:

@Scapegoat: There's a difference between being patriotic, and calling someone else a dick for not being so. I'm asking why it is that you think the OP's a dick for not placing any national pride he might have upon a flag. Especially when the pledge contains material he might find objectionable (under god?).

My point is that standing and showing respect for this established custom does not force the standee to be super patriotic.

I also think a lot of posters here probably are able to put this into context: the OP was probably not making a forward-thinking mature statement but moreso just being an disrespectful young adult.

What exactly are your personal reasons for not standing for the pledge?

You should stand for the pledge but she should not have reacted like that.

She's stupid and is acting in a completely inapproriate way for a teacher. Report her. Granted, you live in Texas, and with my general prejudice regarding political beliefs there I wouldn't say you'd get very far, but you probably know more about that than me. Also, just skip the God part. I can't see what else you don't like in it as it isn't very specific, except if you're very anarchistic - I still don't see the major issue if so (a flag might be a symbol for a state, but still).

She'd be hauled up to her superiors if that happened in front of a supervising faculty member. Props to you, sounds like you're well on your way to weeding out one of the failures defining the American public school system.

My HS alma mater basically tableflipped their entire administration this year, ever since their monumental drop from the #1 school in the state all the way to the 13th in a span of but two years. I lol'd. HS was an awful place.

I just find it funny you guys have to stand and give a "pledge" every day =p

If I ever move to America I would never say the ''One nation under God'' part, because I'm against any form of  (deity based) religion. I think that's my choice to make in that sense, as it is the OPs.

What exactly are your personal reasons for not standing for the pledge?

You're both in the wrong.

@AlexW00d: Well, considering the OP already admitted that he said something like "If you're willing to pay my way then sure"for the sake of egging his teacher on, I think he's pretty much shown his true colors.  Not pledging isn't the disrespectful part, but the verbal exchange following that shows dickishness coming from both sides.

Your'e right. The teacher's wrong. End of story. I can't believe some people are actually defending the teacher. 

@Turambar said:

@AlexW00d: Well, considering the OP already admitted that he said something like "If you're willing to pay my way then sure"for the sake of egging his teacher on, I think he's pretty much shown his true colors.  Not pledging isn't the disrespectful part, but the verbal exchange following that shows dickishness coming from both sides.

True, but it seems it was the teacher who started the little 'exchange' so it seems he was just replying in the same manner. But obviously I can't be sure of this.

Stop being a prick and show some respect. Neither of you are right.

@AlexW00d said:

@Turambar said:

@AlexW00d: Well, considering the OP already admitted that he said something like "If you're willing to pay my way then sure"for the sake of egging his teacher on, I think he's pretty much shown his true colors.  Not pledging isn't the disrespectful part, but the verbal exchange following that shows dickishness coming from both sides.

True, but it seems it was the teacher who started the little 'exchange' so it seems he was just replying in the same manner. But obviously I can't be sure of this.

Honestly, I am highly doubt the tone of the verbal exchange actually went the way the OP claims it did.