Outrage after NY school recites pledge of allegiance in Arabic

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

PINE BUSH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — A school in upstate New York has apologized for reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic after getting complaints from district residents who lost family members in the war in Afghanistan.

The pledge was read in Arabic during Wednesday morning announcements at Pine Bush High School, located 65 miles northwest of New York City.

Some students were angered and responded with catcalls. District Superintendent Joan Carbone told the Times Herald-Record of Middletown that she received complaints from residents who lost relatives in Afghanistan and from Jewish parents.

The Arabic reading of the pledge has “divided the school in half,” Carbone told the newspaper.

“I was just like ‘are you kidding me?’ That’s so disrespectful,” Pine Bush resident Brandon Taylor told CBS2’s Lou Young.

“Judging (from) what the country is dealing with now with extreme Muslims and all the war and stuff over there, I wouldn’t have started off with Arabic,” resident William Steiger added.

To many, the Arabic Pledge of Allegiance seemed “un-American.” Patriotism, for them, is a narrow highway.

“I think it should be spoken in English. This is America,” resident Joyce Larsen said.

The district said the school’s foreign language department arranged to have the pledge recited in different languages for National Foreign Language Week, which was last week.

Andrew Zink, the senior class president, usually gives the morning announcements and recites the pledge. He said he allowed an Arabic-speaking student to handle the pledge duties Wednesday.

“The intention was to promote the fact that those who speak a language other than English still pledge to salute this great country,” the district said in its statement.

“Had it been done in Spanish first or Japanese first, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today,” Principal Aaron Hopmayer told Young,

The principal made a building-wide announcement Wednesday afternoon to explain the reading’s context and apologize to students who took offense to it being recited in Arabic. In a statement posted on the district’s website, officials said they apologized “to any students, staff or community members who found this activity disrespectful.”

Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/19/upstate-n-y-school-apologizes-for-reciting-pledge-of-allegiance-in-arabic/

Arabic isn't even spoken in Afghanistan though, right? Anyway, if it was a foreign language activity, I don't see the issue. 

 

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

 

PINE BUSH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — A school in upstate New York has apologized for reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in Arabic after getting complaints from district residents who lost family members in the war in Afghanistan.

The pledge was read in Arabic during Wednesday morning announcements at Pine Bush High School, located 65 miles northwest of New York City.

Some students were angered and responded with catcalls. District Superintendent Joan Carbone told the Times Herald-Record of Middletown that she received complaints from residents who lost relatives in Afghanistan and from Jewish parents.

The Arabic reading of the pledge has “divided the school in half,” Carbone told the newspaper.

“I was just like ‘are you kidding me?’ That’s so disrespectful,” Pine Bush resident Brandon Taylor told CBS2’s Lou Young.

“Judging (from) what the country is dealing with now with extreme Muslims and all the war and stuff over there, I wouldn’t have started off with Arabic,” resident William Steiger added.

To many, the Arabic Pledge of Allegiance seemed “un-American.” Patriotism, for them, is a narrow highway.

“I think it should be spoken in English. This is America,” resident Joyce Larsen said.

The district said the school’s foreign language department arranged to have the pledge recited in different languages for National Foreign Language Week, which was last week.

Andrew Zink, the senior class president, usually gives the morning announcements and recites the pledge. He said he allowed an Arabic-speaking student to handle the pledge duties Wednesday.

“The intention was to promote the fact that those who speak a language other than English still pledge to salute this great country,” the district said in its statement.

“Had it been done in Spanish first or Japanese first, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today,” Principal Aaron Hopmayer told Young,

The principal made a building-wide announcement Wednesday afternoon to explain the reading’s context and apologize to students who took offense to it being recited in Arabic. In a statement posted on the district’s website, officials said they apologized “to any students, staff or community members who found this activity disrespectful.”

Source: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/03/19/upstate-n-y-school-apologizes-for-reciting-pledge-of-allegiance-in-arabic/

Arabic isn't even the official language in Afghanistan though, right? Anyway, if it was a foreign language activity, I don't see the issue. 

 

[Kayla 7,595]

People are so ignorant. 

“Had it been done in Spanish first or Japanese first, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today,”Principal Aaron Hopmayer told Young,

So they can use the language just not first? Because the order makes such a big difference, right. 

I feel bad for any students that may already speak Arabic or have family who does. How rude it is to them that people are rejecting their language. Just because our countries are not on the best terms doesn't mean we should reject everything from those cultures. 

[AM98GJ 3,086]

'This is America' yes one of the most multicultural countries in the world, obviously they should've informed everyone before hand, but I don't understand, they're incoprtating different parts of the country's demographic into one thing? How can that be bad? :-/

[lego 44,165]

Arabic isn't even spoken in Afghanistan though, right? Anyway, if it was a foreign language activity, I don't see the issue. 

 

It's not.

but all those darkies are the same, amirite?

[Morphine Prince 109,655]

It's not.

but all those darkies are the same, amirite?

​These are probably the same people that think all Asians speak "Chinese" lol. 

And idk why this thread was made twice. Can a mod please merge it? 

[Saeed 1,937]

Did the Americans invent English?

[Didymus 34,380]

What the hell is this, they should be happy because it's still the Pledge of Allegiance

#IHateFatWhiteAmericans

[MJHolland 12,725]

Right, but whoever's idea this was they were obviously trying to get a reaction out of the residents. I call major BS on them saying it was only an activity to promote the fact that kids who know other languages can still say the pledge.

 

However that doesn't excuse some of the ignorant comments the article included. Regardless, I still find it inappropriate to have the school recite it in Arabic, just my opinion. 

[MJHolland 12,725]

“Had it been done in Spanish first or Japanese first, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today,”

 

 

​I also have a problem with this. If the pledge was recited in Japanese at an American school less than 14 years after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor (as the 9/11 attacks occurred a little over 13 years ago) there would be colossal uproar. I can try to appreciate what the school was trying to do but you have to have some common sense and tackle situations with heightened sensitivity. 

[MJHolland 12,725]

Right, but whoever's idea this was they were obviously trying to get a reaction out of the residents. I call major BS on them saying it was only an activity to promote the fact that kids who know other languages can still say the pledge.

However that doesn't excuse some of the ignorant comments the article included. Regardless, I still find it inappropriate to have the school recite it in Arabic, just my opinion. 

“Had it been done in Spanish first or Japanese first, we wouldn’t be having this conversation today,”

​​​I also have a problem with this. If the pledge was recited in Japanese at an American school less than 14 years after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor (as the 9/11 attacks occurred a little over 13 years ago) there would be colossal uproar. I can try to appreciate what the school was trying to do but you have to have some common sense and tackle situations with heightened sensitivity. 

(This is what I posted in the other page so sorry for a repeated post)

[Lady Palutena 3,147]

Hmm...well, it was their school, so their rules I believe. The whole patriotism notion is about as outdated as the notion that only men should work and women should stay home.

I never said the Pledge of Allegiance, can't pledge allegiance to people who massacred my race and nearly made us extinct.

[lego 44,165]

District Superintendent Joan Carbone told the Times Herald-Record of Middletown that she received complaints from residents who lost relatives in Afghanistan and from Jewish parents.

 

Interesting. And if would be in Hebrew, would any complainers be labeled as antisemitic?

Off topic, but I just noticed this part.

It's just a language.

[Goosey 3,017]

Why would they read it in Arabic unless they were trying to stir trouble? 

The fact they apologized says it all.

[field 98]

There was no need to apologise, and they've pandered to ignorance by doing that. Shame they don't have the courage of their convictions.