Originally published February 23 2006
Settlement reached between school board and student over pledge
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Palm Beach School Board voted that public school students do not have to recite or stand up for the pledge. High School junior Cameron Frazier will receive $32,500 and his teacher will be reprimanded in writing.
A settlement has been reached between the Palm Beach School Board and a student who said he was disciplined for not standing during the Pledge of Allegiance.
The board voted Wednesday that public students do not have to recite the pledge or stand for it.
It also was decided that a letter from a parent is no longer needed to excuse the student from the pledge.
These guidelines follow a federal case law, which says a student cannot be forced to say the pledge or salute the flag, said Gerald Williams, school board attorney.
Boynton Beach High School junior Cameron Frazier sued the school board, a teacher and an assistant principal last month.
Teacher Cynthia Alexandre called the 17-year-old student "so ungrateful and so un-American" after he twice refused to stand for the pledge in Alexandre's classroom Nov. 8, according to a federal lawsuit.
The American Civil Liberties Union represented Frazier.
"We live in a free country," said Frazier's attorney James Green.
"While patriotism is important, liberty of thought and liberty of expression are even more important."
As part of Wednesday's settlement, Frazier will get $32,500 and Alexandre will be reprimanded in writing.
All Palm Beach County School District employees must be told of the decision because it contradicts rules printed in the school district's student handbooks.
State law says the pledge needs to be recited at the beginning of the day at all elementary, middle and high schools.
Frazier is suing the state Board of Education and state Education Commissioner John Winn because he believes that violates the First and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
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