In a recent incident, a mother in the Chicago area became enraged after her son’s request to sit during the Pledge of Allegiance was denied by her son’s school. Apparently, the student had used some salty language with his teacher after he was forced to stand up during the Pledge. The mother of the teenager, named Kelley Porter, was apologetic about her son’s use of language, but she refused to apologize for her son’s stance on the pledge. The teenager and his family believed that the matter had been resolved, but when he returned to Spanish class the next week his teacher attempted to physically pull him out of his seat when Shemar once again sat during the Pledge of Allegiance. Porter then reported the teacher for trying to physically compel him to stand up during the Pledge. The family called the police department of Blue Island and said that they would press charges.
The boy’s mother says that she has immense pride for her son for standing up for what he believes in. Kelley said that her father had served in the Second World War and that her son’s actions were also about making a stand. Shemar refuses to stand for the Pledge because of the issues he sees in America including police violence. Shemar stated that “America doesn’t respect” people of color. He says that until “they stop killing us,” he will not stand up for the Pledge. He noted that he doesn’t hate America. That’s not why he sits for the pledge. He just thinks that there is a lot of police behavior that needs to stop in order for his community to feel safe. This incident was taking place around the same time was Colin Kaepernick’s “Take A Knee” movement in the NFL. Shemar and his family said that they were unaware that this controversy was taking place.
Eisenhower High School’s principal released a statement about the incident and its aftermath. He said that the school takes very seriously any allegations that a student has been harassed. The statement also said that the school respects every student’s first amendment right not to stand for the Pledge if they don’t want to. Porter has made clear her opinion that the teacher should be fired for their role in the incident. The school is still investigating the matter. This incident is a common one, and it reflects the heightened tensions around race in America in recent years. With the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis in May 2020 racial issues have once again been thrust into the spotlight. America has been having a national conversation about policing and what it really even means to be an American. It is for similar reasons to Shemar’s that Colin Kaepernick started protesting the national anthem by kneeling several years ago. This movement has taken hold nationwide and has forced many to come to grips with the reality of police brutality in America. There are no simple solutions to any of these problems.
