The loudspeakers come on every morning, and classrooms throughout the high school fall into similar rhythms. Some rise to their feet without even thinking, eyes forward, steady voice. Others stay seated in their chairs quietly watching the room around them. The Pledge of Allegiance, a routine of which lasts less than a minute, has become something more complicated than a tradition. For some students, it’s a sign of respect, for others it’s a choice or even a quiet act of protest.
Sophomore Evan Antle stands for the Pledge of Allegiance and always has.
“[Even if no one else in the classroom was standing] I would still stand,” Antle said.
Antle believes that students should continue to recite the Pledge every morning, regardless of everyone’s beliefs; they can do what they want. There isn’t anything in particular that he disagrees with in the Pledge of Allegiance.
“I think it’s up to their personal opinion, if they want to stand or not. I stand because I always have; if they don’t stand, they don’t stand,” Antle said.
Sophomore Martha Cardiel-Duran does not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, even if everyone else were to stand.
“I think with the current political state of the United States, it’s not something worth standing for, and I don’t appreciate it,” Cardiel-Duran said.
Cardiel’s sitting is her way of speaking out against it as a silent protest. The things going on around the state right now do not sit well with her.
“Even if everyone was sitting or someone told me to stand up, I wouldn’t,” she said.
Senior Lincoln Thompson stands for the Pledge of Allegiance, but not all of the time.
“It depends on how I am feeling, if I’m feeling patriotic or not,” Thompson said.
The people around him don’t really influence him, and he doesn’t care much about their opinions on standing. He believes that it just depends on the mood of everyone in the morning; it may be a low-energy day. He would stand regardless of what his peers do.
“[I stand for the pledge because] my grandpa fought in the Air Force, so it’s just somewhat respectful to people that go and risk their lives, they have kids and stuff, so it’s just respectful to honor them,” Thompson said.
Some people’s opinions on standing may have changed recently due to politics, but not everyone feels the same way.
“Some of the things aren’t right in the US right now, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t honor people who fight,” Thompson said.
Sophomore Courtney Vela is one of the students who believes in standing up for the Pledge of Allegiance in the mornings.
“I feel like it’s disrespectful to not [stand for the Pledge of Allegiance],” Vela said.
She has an opinion on those who choose to sit through; she believes that it is “kind of mean” and disrespectful when students don’t stand, even just out of respect.
“I would stand for the Pledge, even if everyone else was sitting down,” Vela said.
