It's Time To Start Teaching American Values Again

It's Time To Start Teaching American Values Again
by Nathan Poole, Guest Contributor

May 28, 2002

Like most Americans, I grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in school each morning. I even had teachers who would take the time to explain to me and my classmates what each and every word of the pledge meant. Today, however, very few of our children are required to say the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of class each day. In fact, not only are our children not required to recite the pledge each day, many of them are not even afforded the opportunity to recite the pledge each day. Most school boards in the United States now only make suggestions as to how many times a week children are given the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance. Some school boards go even further and set strict policies forbidding teachers from allowing children to say the pledge at all.

Recently, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (right) vetoed a bill that would have required Minnesota's public school students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at least once a week. If passed, the bill would have directed school districts to inform students of their rights not to participate in reciting the pledge. Furthermore, the bill would have given school boards the power to opt out of requiring students to recite the pledge by way of annual votes. Before the bill had even passed through either house, Governor Ventura had already hinted that he would veto the bill, saying that he sees no evidence that Americans are lacking patriotism, especially after the events of September 11.

"Patriotism is voluntary," Ventura said in his veto message. "It is a feeling of loyalty and allegiance that is the result of knowledge and belief. No law will make a citizen a patriot." Later, in an interview with the Associated Press, Governor Ventura, who currently has a daughter in high school, added that he did not want anyone telling children what to say.

Governor Ventura unfortunately seems to hold the belief that we are all born with our very own set of values. I must have been absent on the day when the sets of values were handed out, because I distinctly remember my parents, teachers, relatives, and neighbors teaching me my values. Patriotism is indeed voluntary, but so are all of our values and forms of good behavior. Nobody can force me not to curse out other students in class. Yes, if I partake in this disruptive behavior, I will not be allowed to return to class. I will have been taught, then, the value of good behavior in class.

Governor Ventura does not want anybody telling children what to say. I am deeply sorry, Mr. Ventura, but they are children. Everything they do in school, everything they say in school, is because somebody told them to do and say those things. They do not have the right to make those decisions themselves. If they did, what would even be the point of going to school? School is a place for children to learn not just how to read and write, but how to become productive American citizens. They learn how to do this by learning American values.

Patriotism is an American value. My father taught me that; so did my mother; and so did my teachers. They taught me other great American values as well, like not to steal, not to cheat, not to lie, and to play fair. I learned some of these values quicker than others, but I eventually did learn them all. The Pledge of Allegiance is not just a catchy grouping of words; it is an American value which must be taught to our children.

America is the great nation that it is because we, the Americans, have continued to make it great. We continue to make this country a great place to live, do business, and raise our children because we were taught the American values by our parents and teachers. We must continue to teach our children if we wish for America to stay great. ***

A native of San Antonio, Texas and a veteran of the United States Air Force, Nathan Poole is employed by the United States Postal Service. He lives in Irwindale, California with his wife and family.

Photo of Governor Jesse Ventura (I-MN) courtesy of Minnesota Governor's Office