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"badgolferman" <REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:xn0ergina1qrtzh000@news.readfreenews.net...[color=blue]
> Cathy F., 9/20/2006,7:58:25 PM, wrote:
>[color=green]
>>
>> "Stuart Krivis" <jd@mongo.krivis.com> wrote in message
>> news:rf83h2t3kdanaj59a7fdortocnp6t7ts5c@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>> > On 20 Sep 2006 12:45:42 GMT, "badgolferman"
>> ><REMOVETHISbadgolferman@gmail.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > > I guess we better get used to learning the Mexican pledge soon.
>> > > This guy must be a visionary who is preparing our children for
>> > > the new Meximerica.
>> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> > > ----
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > [url]http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1704718/posts[/url]
>> > >
>> > > FREEPORT - Velasco Elementary School's principal said he has been
>> > > taken aback by a controversy that has arisen from his campus'
>> > > Mexican Independence Day celebration, and he apologizes for
>> > > offending parents.
>> > >
>> > > During a short school assembly Friday, several parent volunteers
>> > > read a pledge of allegiance to the Mexican flag.
>> >
>> >
>> > So learning about different cultures is a bad thing? Having a school
>> > activity that is relevant to 65% of the students is bad?
>> >
>> > You Bubba-licans are making much ado about nothing.[/color]
>>
>> Were they pledging their allegiance to the Mexican flag (in a USA
>> school), or were they merely hearing/learning what the words of the
>> Mexican pledge are? There's a difference.[/color]
>
> ---------------------
> At about 10 a.m. Friday, students and parents gathered in the gym for
> an assembly commemorating Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Sept. 16, when
> Mexico celebrates its independence from Spain. The school's bilingual
> classes from different grade levels performed songs, Williams said.
> Everyone was given a small Mexican flag and a group of six or seven
> parents recited the pledge from a script, Williams said. The students
> did not recite it, he said.
> ----------------------
>
> Why do elementary grade children need to know the Mexican pledge?[/color]

I don't think it's necessary, but OTOH knowing its words can't hurt anyone &
enlarges one's comprehension of the world. When I teach my class about
different countries & their govt's & cultures (at a very basic level - we're
talking 3rd gr.), we see what each country's flag looks like & learn what
its design/symbol(s) stand(s) for. Same sort of deal, IMO, considering the
probable heritage of many of these kids' families. Actually pledging
allegiance to the Mexican flag would be a different matter.

As a sort of analogy: what if a (religious) non-Christian were to learn the
words of the Lord's Prayer? Would make them less ignorant of the Christian
religion, but wouldn't affect their own beliefs & practice of their own
religion.
[color=blue]
> Shouldn't immigrants be assimilating into the American culture?[/color]

Yes, but that's not the same thing as totally letting go of one's own
heritage, or being ignorant about the rest of the world.

I[color=blue]
> would think it would behoove them more to learn about the history and
> traditions of America rather than Mexico's.[/color]

They will learn those, too - both at school, & as a matter of course -
simply via their entire environment, living in the uSA.

Cathy


A pledge of allegiance is[color=blue]
> a political and patriotic statement of one's country.[/color]