Teacher
on leave
after
boy is
forced
to stand
during
Pledge
ap.org
FARMINGTON
HILLS,
MI - A
Detroit-area
teacher
is on
leave
after an
11-year-old
boy said
he was
physically
forced
out of
his
chair
during
the
Pledge
of
Allegiance.
Stone
Chaney,
a
sixth-grader
in the
Farmington
district,
said he
makes a
pledge
to God
and
family -
not a
flag -
and has
skipped
participation
since
second
grade.
He said
he was
doing
homework
during
the
pledge
on Sept.
7 when a
teacher
at East
Middle
School
"snatched"
him out
of his
chair.
"I told
the lady
that I
don't
stand
for the
pledge
and she
just
kind of
glared
at me.
... I
was
confused
when it
happened
because
I didn't
know
what was
going
on. And
then I
was
irritated
because
that's
not
supposed
to
happen,"
Stone
said.
He said
another
teacher
the next
day
yelled
at him
to stand
up.
Superintendent
George
Heitsch
said one
teacher
has been
placed
on leave
while
the
district
investigates.
He said
students
have the
right to
skip the
Pledge
of
Allegiance.
The
district
expects
every
child
and
adult
"to be
treated
with
dignity
and
respect,"
Heitsch
said.
Stone
said he
stopped
participating
in
second
grade
after
seeing
his
father,
who
works in
the
Pontiac
school
district,
sit
during
the
pledge.
Brian
Chaney
praised
his
son's
ability
to walk
to his
"own
beat."
"I'm
looking
at my
son as a
hero. He
believes
in what
he
believes
in,"
Chaney
said.
"He's
not
worried
about
what
other
people
think of
him."