The Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish

U.S. Schools Must Balance Diversity with Patriotic Sensitivities

Oct 5, 2009 Michael Streich

A North Carolina Forsyth County elementary school comes under attack for including the recitation of the Pledge in Spanish as part of Hispanic Awareness Month.

In March 2008 Dr. Norman Fjelstad, superintendent of a southern Wisconsin school district, came under fire for allowing students at Edgerton High School to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish. Although the practice was confined to one day in the year, and foreign exchange students were invited to recite the Pledge in their own languages, the decision created uproar in the community.

In September 2009, a decision made by the principal of Southwest Elementary School in Winston Salem, North Carolina to honor Hispanic Awareness Month by reciting the Pledge in Spanish generated even more outrage.

Increased Tension with Attempts at Diversity

In North Carolina, the story was brought to light by Scott Sexton, a columnist for the Winston Salem Journal. The September 28 column disclosed that the elementary school principal, Mike Hayes, had approved the recitation of the Pledge in Spanish in order to celebrate Hispanic Awareness Month as well as teaching students diversity.

The 2000 national census figures demonstrated that North Carolina had the fasted growing Latino population in the nation. At that time, the Latino population grew 394% from 1990 to 2000. This trend has continued. Over 65% were from Mexico. As a result, inevitable tensions have increased. For example, an on-going debate in North Carolina is whether to allow undocumented Hispanics to attend Community Colleges, even if it means paying out-of-state tuition rates.

The flap over the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish came in the midst of such tensions. One parent, according to Scott Sexton, “was appalled” that his child had been asked to recite the Pledge in Spanish. As Sexton correctly asked, where does one draw the line? The Winston Salem Forsyth County School System, through its spokesperson Theo Helm, attempted to downplay the issue going so far as to question the need for a column about an activity that had not yet taken place.

Is the Pledge Sacrosanct?

For many Americans, the Pledge of Allegiance, like the national anthem, is sacrosanct. It is one thing to print driver license manuals in Spanish but saying the Pledge in Spanish borders on national or patriotic heresy. Critics point out that when new American citizens publicly take the oath of allegiance promising to defend the Constitution, they do so in English. Others note that historically the largest immigrant patterns prior to the late 20th-Century reflected German and Italian speaking peoples. No similar accommodations were made for these immigrants.

The original Pledge dates to 1892 but became universally popular in the mid-20th century when school children recited it at the start of each school day. The words “under God” were added in 1954 at the behest of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, although groups like the Catholic Knights of Columbus had advocated this change earlier.

The Pledge became a vehicle to unify Americans, focus on the meaning of the Republic, and encourage loyalty, particularly during the Cold War period. It is distinctly American and considered part of the national iconography. As such, reciting the Pledge in any other language is viewed as anathema by many conservative Americans as well as non-conservatives that feel a personal stake in the freedoms of the Republic, like military veterans.

The Limits of Diversity Education and Celebration

Parents in school systems that have attempted to or actually had students recite the Pledge in Spanish want school officials and elected representatives to draw a clear line. The parent objecting to the Winston Salem incident was quoted by columnist Scott Sexton as saying, “this effort at diversity insults my family as American citizens…This activity is reverse assimilation.” It is also worth noting that a N.C. general statute (145-12) passed in 1987 declares English "the official language of the State of North Carolina."

Sources:

• Matthew Rothschild, “School Superintendent Threatened over Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish,” April 21, 2008
• Scott Sexton, “The Pledge in Spanish in grade school? Kidding, right?” Winston Salem Journal, September 28, 2009
• United States Census Bureau

The copyright of the article The Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish in American Affairs is owned by Michael Streich. Permission to republish The Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Oct 9, 2009 1:43 PM

Guest :

When is America ever going to learn to be all inclusive? We are a country that is combined of all nationalities and ethnicities. We proclaim ourselves to be patriotic and yet don't condone what this country was founded on. We are consistently working backwards. What next no recitation of the Lift Every Voice and Sing. We did that when I was in elementary school. No uproar. Are we teaching our children to discriminate and to not understand others? Its not like this principal was trying to change the official language of the U.S. He was simply trying to celebrate the diversity in his school. These parents have nothing else better to do obviously.

Oct 22, 2009 8:31 PM

Guest :

Being sensitive to other ethnicities is fine. However, you (person in previous rsponse above) are confused. This is an issue of respect toward the country one is in, not one of disrespect toward others of different ethnicities. If I were in Mexico, would it be acceptable to the Mexicans to have their similar patriotic pledge to their country recited in English? No. If I went to China, or Korea, or any other country, it would be absolutely disrespectful to recite their similar pledges in English. Out of respect for the country, it should recite it in their native language of the country. To recite it any other way shows disrespect for what the pledge and country stands for. The same applies to our country. This is an American Anthem, not a Mexican Anthem. Mexico has it's own anthem, and they shoudl recite that one in SPANISH. Having respect for others ethnicities is one thing we can be sensitive to, but asking somone to give up their own enthinicty is unacceptable by changing the language of their national anthem is not right. This is taking things too far. Why shoudl Americans give up what they hold true and dear. Why are we afraid to stand up for who we are? We should be proud of our country and the language we speak. We have already given up way too much. How much more of our country will we let slip away.

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