Dayton Daily News education reporter Scott Elliott writes about schools, kids, teaching and learning.
Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > March > 15 > Entry
Oh hey can you sing …
The New York Times reports a coalition of teachers, with corporate sponsors, is traveling the country teaching the National Anthem.
Apparently, a recent Harris Poll showed only 40 percent of Americans can recite the words to the Star Spangled Banner. And many people don’t know the story behind the song.
This is another argument for requiring kids to sing the national anthem in school each morning instead of reciting the pledge of allegiance.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: The Pledge of Allegiance
Comments
By Mary
March 15, 2006 7:36 AM | Link to this
I am asuming you meant the students would sing, not sign, the national anthem in lieu of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. More important than going through the morning rituals is that they know the history. This morning’s Dayton Daily News has tons of letters to the editor regarding religion and government. As a child and before I attended school, I learned the Pledge of Allegiance without the “under God”. It was added in 1954 as part of Cold War political grandsstanding that is still going on in matters like this. No one ever discussed the addition with me, so I was a little confused when I started hearing the new version. Perhaps children should be taught that history, as well, in discussions of religion in government.