According to Kansas Statute 72-5308, public schools are required to observe patriotic exercises, including “a daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.” On Friday, Sept. 22, after a decade of not doing so, the Pledge was recited over the speakers. This will continue for the foreseeable future. Principal Dr. Tyler Alexander said the change comes after a district-wide leadership meeting.
“We reviewed the Pledge of Allegiance at the elementary, middle and high school levels,” Alexander said. “It was shown that it was inconsistent at the middle and high schools. There were some questions about that from the community since it’s State Statute, as well as a Board Policy. So with that, we’re going to bring it back.”
Alexander said district leaders encouraged schools to provide students with the words. A graphic of the American Flag alongside the Pledge’s words is available for display in every classroom.
“Not every student grew up reciting the Pledge, or maybe they’d forgotten [the words] since elementary school,” Alexander said. “The image with the words was something recommended from the leaders at our meeting, and [activities director Mallory] Husemean was the one who created the graphic to submit to our teachers.”
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the Pledge will be recited at the beginning of first hour, while on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it will be included in announcements at the start of Advisory.
“Our WPC students do announcements on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and we’ve asked some of our elected Student Council to get on a rotation for [Monday, Wednesday and Friday]. Right now, Andrew Woirhaye is doing it, but then they’ll have a sign-up sheet so students will have a different person each time.”
While “a daily recitation of the Pledge” is Kansas Statute, individual students have the right to refuse to participate if they choose.
“It’s within your rights as a citizen to refrain from participating,” Alexander said. “The only thing that we ask is that if you do so, you do it respectfully so that students participating in [the Pledge] have the freedom to do that.”
