Florida sixth-grader arrested in Pledge of Allegiance dispute will not be prosecuted

[Eugene]

Source: CNN

By Darran Simon and Faith Karimi, CNN
Updated 0745 GMT (1545 HKT) March 7, 2019

(CNN) — A Florida sixth-grader who was arrested last month following a Pledge of Allegiance dispute at his school will not be prosecuted, his attorney said Wednesday night.

The student at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland refused to take part in the Pledge of Allegiance on February 4, according to the Polk County School District. At the time, it said the student was arrested for becoming disruptive, not for refusing to participate.

The case attracted national attention after Team Roc, a branch of the Roc Nation entertainment company founded by hip-hop artist Jay-Z, became involved. It raised awareness about the case, describing the teen's arrest as wrong.

In a letter to the teen's mother, Dhakira Talbot, the county's teen court said there are no pending issues.

-snip-


Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2019/03/07/us/florida-pledge-of-allegiance-dispute/index.html

[Grokenstein]

1. Darn White of Them

"Becoming disruptive" was always going to be the outcome; the substitute made that obvious when she told the student to "go back to his homeland."

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article226423920.html

The middle schooler’s mother said Alvarez (the substitute teacher) “told my son to go back to his homeland,” WTSP reported.

“He was confused,” Talbot told WTSP. “He said, ‘What do you mean? Africa?’ She said, ‘Yeah.’”

The substitute teacher told the student “you can always go back” after he replied “they brought me here,” according to The Washington Post.

“I came here from Cuba,” Alvarez recalled telling the student, according to The Washington Post, “and the day I feel I’m not welcome here anymore, I would find another place to live.”

Well, you're in luck, Alvarez, because the current administration would LOVE to make that happen for you.

[2naSalit]

2. Maybe she needs

to be sued.

[IronLionZion]

9. Immigrants telling Americans to leave the country is as American as it gets

and apparently as white as it gets.

It reminds me of the white racists who have called ICE to deport Native Americans, like Navajo in Arizona.

[liberalhistorian]

16. Where in the FUCK do those

genius brainballs want Native Americans deported TO? The fucking moon?

[IronLionZion]

17. Mexico

They don't care where non-whites go, they just want us gone.

[True Blue American]

3. Well!

Shucky Darn and slop the chickens as Garfield said when on the farm!

[LogicFirst]

4. New Democracy

Dear 6th grader:
Welcome to the new intolerant democracy. Perhaps this incident will put you on a path to change the way some people think and react.

[beachbum bob]

5. the lawsuits will come

and justifiably so. Against the teacher, the school board, the school, the principal, etc

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. Sure hope so... these people need to pay for their hate!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[lagomorph777]

7. When do the prosecutions begin for the teacher, principal, and cop?

[jcmaine72]

8. I find it distrubing that there was even a chance of prosecution to begin with.

Hardly a day goes by any more where I'm not confronted with a news item that causes me to ask "Is this really America?".

[watoos]

10. Is it against the law to dry hump the flag?

Asking for someone else.

[reACTIONary]

12. I think tRump has been groping it....

... so the pResedent has been set.

[Aristus]

11. I fucking-well HOPE not!

Jesus! Don't do us any favors, Florida!

Shit. This is the kind of thing we invade other countries for doing...

[smirkymonkey]

13. Wait, how can anybody be arrested for not saying the Pledge of Allegiance in this country,

especially a sixth-grader?

Have I missed something? WTF?

[Eugene]

14. Allegedly "disrupting a school function and resisting an officer without violence"

The claim was the student refused to leave the class when the resource officer told him to. When he did leave he "created a disturbance," they say. That old standby, disorderly conduct.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/18/us/florida-pledge-of-allegiance-altercation-arrest/index.html

[smirkymonkey]

20. Let me guess...

He's black.

[BigDemVoter]

15. Why in the FUCK would he be prosecuted? For WHAT??

I thought this was settled back in the 1960s when the American Civil Liberties Union defended a Jehovah's Witness from having to recite it? Why in HELL would it be 'news' that this child isn't being prosecuted? Wasn't that the point of the original court ruling?

[obamanut2012]

18. It was actually settled in the 40s

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

19. Good!

and whoever thought it a good idea to call the police needs to be reprimanded for making a mountain out of a molehill.

[ManiacJoe]

21. How did journalism become so bad????

The author waits until paragraph 9 to talk about the arresting charges.

[crazycatlady]

22. this is harsh even for FL

I knew many older FL voters were all about screwing the next generation, but arresting (and even considering) prosecuting a 6th grader. That is 11? 12?

THe kid is a child.