Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton school officials did an about-face Friday on the district's pledge of allegiance policy after the suspension of three students sparked a protest from one student and a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union.
Junior High Principal Colleen Houglum said the phrase in the student handbook requiring all students to stand during the pledge "may need to be modified to address the protection of the individual form of expression."
But earlier Friday, Houglum suspended eighth-grader Bishop Edens for sitting while his classmates stood and recited the pledge, Edens said.
The 14-year-old said he stayed in his seat to protest the school's policy and the in-school suspension that three students received on Thursday for breaking it.
Edens said he sometimes chooses to sit during the pledge because he doesn't like some of the things he hears about the war in Iraq.
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"It doesn't make you any less of an American if you don't stand up for the pledge," he said.
Edens reported to the office for in-school suspension, and later went home after his mother, Heather Page, asked that he be sent home.
Later, Houglum called Page and apologized and told her Edens could return to school.
Attorney Roger Aronson, who represents 1,700 secondary school principals in Minnesota, said he advised Houglum there's a strong claim that requiring students to stand violates their freedom of expression.
Minnesota law says reciting the pledge in public schools is optional. D-G-F's policy says students do not have to recite the pledge, but they're required to stand.
Aronson said there's a strong argument that requiring students to stand is making them participate in the pledge.
The ACLU of Minnesota sent the school district a letter on Friday, saying the district's policy violates the First Amendment.
Executive Director Chuck Samuelson said he was "just shocked" to hear about the suspensions. "This just never happens because administrators know better."
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Kim Dahl, the mother of one of the students suspended on Thursday, said Houglum called her and said the suspension will not be part of the students' permanent records.
"The school is handling it very professionally," she said.
Edens did not return to school on Friday. Page said she is proud of her son for standing up for his beliefs, even though he was warned he would face suspension.
"People need to know that children do have rights and they do believe strongly in things," Page said.
Mari Dailey, a seventh-grade American history teacher who led the pledge of allegiance on Friday, said it was her impression that the students who sat down were not actively expressing their freedom of speech, but were being insubordinate.
"Schools are asked to teach character education and respect," Dailey said. "I think this was an issue of respect, or lack thereof."
Reaction from several D-G-F students focused less on the freedom of speech issue and more on the fact that the policy was not enforced by teachers until the principal observed students sitting during the pledge.
Houglum said it will be the school board's responsibility to consider modifying the pledge policy.
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School board chairwoman Marilyn Labrensz did not return a call seeing comment. Superintendent Bernie Lipp is out of the office until May 16.
In Moorhead, said students can sit out the pledge as long as they're not disruptive. And the Fargo School District doesn't have a policy on the pledge and hasn't had to deal with students who insist on sitting as the pledge is recited, a spokesman said.
Forum reporter Mila Koumpilova
contributed to this report
Readers can reach Forum reporter Amy Dalrymple at (701) 241-5590
