My state has recently proposed a bill to make it a requirement for students to recite the following oath in order to graduate:
I, _________, DO SOLEMNLY SWEAR THAT I WILL SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AGAINST ALL ENEMIES, FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC, THAT I WILL BEAR TRUE FAITH AND ALLEGIANCE TO THE SAME; THAT I TAKE THIS OBLIGATION FREELY, WITHOUT ANY MENTAL RESERVATION OR PURPOSE OF EVASION; AND THAT I WILL WELL AND FAITHFULLY DISCHARGE THESE DUTIES; SO HELP ME GOD.
I think that this is a rather foolhardy notion on several levels. The students would not be reciting this oath freely, as it is a requirement to graduate. The “so help me God” bit could easily be left out (I’m fine with anyone that wants to add it, but many folks don’t believe in a deity and many don’t want to swear loyalty to a document in a deity’s name).
Representative [Skas' Representative],
I’m writing to request that you withdraw your sponsorship of HB 2467 and vote no on the bill should it come to a vote.I appreciate the sentiment behind the bill, and wish that all Americans would recite such an oath (and more importantly remember said oath). That said, I do not believe that should be a requirement for a student to graduate from a state mandated learning institution.If we want students to better respect and appreciate the Constitution, we should ensure that they are taking well structured civics courses that properly cover the great benefits to the Constitution and why it is such a powerful document. I think that by ensuring that students understand the document, that they will further appreciate the Constitution.We need students to read the Articles of Confederation, the Federalist and anti-Federalist papers, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution and exhibit understanding of these documents. Forcing students to recite an oath as a requirement for graduation could do more to increase spite towards our great country and the Constitution.
Additionally, what does this oath even do? There is no penalty for breaking your oath. Most students when they graduate aren’t even 18, so it’s not going to carry any legal weight. I picture this being recited with the same derision with which the pledge of allegiance is said these days.
Thoughts? Obviously someone thinks this is a good idea, and I want more people coming out of high school to believe in the Constitution and the diligent effort put forth by our founding fathers…but I don’t think this is how you get that point across.
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Mandatory piety means nothing at best — and usually fosters contempt for the object of the oath.
Familiarity breeds contempt. Part of the power of an oath like this is that so many people HAVEN’T taken one like it.
My elementary opened every day with the Pledge of Allegiance, but (and forgive young children their lack of comprehension) a common version floating around went like this (IIRC, it came from an issue of MAD magazine):
“I plead alignment to the flakes of Untitled Snakes of A Merry Cow, and to the Republicans for which they scam, one nacho under pants, with lizards and jugs of wine for owls.”
The Pledge lost its power and influence, I believe because it was recited so often without understanding its meaning. (Similarly, as an adult, the Lord’s Prayer means something; as a kid, it was just something we said in church.) Nowadays, they don’t say it at all, so there’s no opportunity to reflect on its meaning and purpose.
I can’t decide which is worse.
@Oleg – Spot on. I can honestly say that daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance through my public school career did exactly that. I’ve come around since then, but yeah.
@Archer – I don’t remember ever being that creative with the pledge. Kudos to you all for that.
The Lord’s prayer is definitely analogous. I’ll just note that at my high school (and many other in the area) we were still saying the Lord’s prayer before events in the early – mid 2000s. They’re just more careful about who is around when they say it and who leads the prayer.
So they’re going to force kids to take an oath, including the statement that they take it freely? You don’t even have to go near the “so help me god” part for that to stop making sense.
To graduate form my Roman Catholic high school, I was compelled to engage in 40 hours of “volunteer service”. I pointed out to the principal that forcing people to do something precluded the action from being “volunteer” anything, whereupon I was told that it did not matter, and if I wanted to graduate, I would do what I was told.
This, unfortunately, is no different, and equally as pointless.
@Joel – You’re right, but these are the same people that think it’s a “free” education. I think it’s been a long time since the majority of legislators understood the definition of the word “freedom”.
@Linoge – At least that was a private institution. I could see a stronger case being made for them to force you to volunteer. I think the public schools have much less standing to force someone to recite an oath. That said, there are plenty of things (education itself) we’re voluntold to do.
A couple of years back i had to pay a voluntary contribution to the traffic dept, i still don’t know where the voluntary part was but that’s what it was called.
I agree with your reasoning. What I would ask is that the school board require 2 senior year semesters of civics focused on the Constitution & the Bill of Rights; their origins & current status in law & society.
More, I would require 3 years military service where, after boot camp, they serve in a 3rd world (but US friendly) country OR
3 years community service (paid same as military) where after job training, they serve in a poverty zone of a major US city. (for those who are anti-military).
This would be “fill the gap” from 18-21 years old, assist those in need, and give every high school grad a taste of the real wold out there and maybe knock some of the “it’s all about me” attitude out of the “me” generation.
Oh… and no electronics for those 3 years, no tweeting, no texting, no cell, no internet, no facebook. Just TV in off hours & once a week they can check their e-mail for letters from home.
Let them learn to appreciate what they have and see how much of the rest of the world lives.
@Dave W – lol
@Lord Sega – I was with you on the first paragraph!
I have a hard time getting behind any sort of compulsory service for citizens of our country. I think we, societally, could do a better job encouraging service, but I think that forcing people into service is just as bad as forcing them to recite a pledge or an oath. It will probably breed contempt and spite. Sure, for some people it might work, but on a whole I think it would turn people off.
Getting our youth to better appreciate how good they have it would probably help with their sense of entitlement, but I don’t think forcing them to do anything would get us where we’d like to be.
I know that personally, having never served, I would have been right pissed off knowing someone else had signed me up to give up 3 years of my life without my consent. No matter what I learned from the experience, I’d always resent the people and the system that forced me into something against my will as a legal adult and citizen of that nation.
@Lord Sega – You have inadvertently described the Mormon missionary program. Albeit it is voluntary, only for two years, and there is religious proselyting involved.