State Pledge mandate supported in Posen schools
by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor
Posen Consolidated Schools students, like other schools across Michigan, will make the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance part of their morning routine at the beginning of the next school year – if it isn’t part of it now. That includes the high school students.
Earlier this month Gov. Rick Snyder signed laws that give students the opportunity to say the Pledge of Allegiance each day in Michigan public schools. There’s an added requirement that an American flag be placed in every classroom. It takes effect for the 2013 school year.
At Monday’s board of education, there seemed to be tremendous support for the new law, but some angst regarding another unfunded state mandate.
School board president Ken Wozniak wondered how many flags the district is going to have to buy. “Like every other mandate, they will probably fail to pay for the flags,” he said.
Superintendent Dru Milliron said most of the classrooms have flags already, and nearly all of the elementary students recite the Pledge every morning as well.
Veterans groups across the state have offered to purchase flags for cash-strapped schools.
Local organizations, including the county board of commissioners, Rogers City Council and some school boards in the county already recite the pledge prior to the start of meetings. However, the Supreme Court ruled on several occasions that students cannot be compelled to recite the pledge, or punished for not doing so.
As a part of Milliron’s legislative update, the superintendent said state lawmakers changed the date that a child needs to turn five in order to start kindergarten. Current law allows kids to enter kindergarten if they are five by December 1.
Milliron said the date will be moved up to the first of each month for the next three years until i
In other board news:
• Bus driver Mitch Budnik is taking a medical leave of an absence for a year. The hiring of a bus driver has been posted.
• The board accepted a surplus refund check of $7,736 from their property and casualty insurance provider. They also received a capital credit check of $1,131 check from Presque Isle Electric and Gas Cooperative.
• The student count is down to 250 from 265 last fall, said Milliron.
• The planning committee recommended waiting until the spring to purchase a new lawn mower.
• The board approved a policy change that requires students take exams in the second semester.