A 10-year-old refuses to pledge allegiance until there’s gay equality in the USA
He’s got a small voice, and he’s just one boy, but 10-year-old Arkansas fifth grader in West Fork School District in Washington County, Will Phillips is making a small stand against a nation with discriminatory policies on the books: he’s refusing to recite the Pledge Of Allegiance at school.
Will Phillips has refused to pledge allegiance to the flag until gays and lesbians have equal rights.
And he’s not about to start now, even if other kids are, predictably, teasing him over his stance. When his class was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Will Phillips decided to remain seated while other children in his class stood to pledge allegiance to the US flag.
A substitute teacher tried to make him stand, but Will refused. He continued to refuse for several more days until the teacher became angry. At this point, Will admitted he had told her to “respectfully … go and jump off a bridge”.
He was then made to complete an assignment on why Americans make the pledge while the principal called his mother Laura Phillips, who asserted it was Will’s legal right not to stand. Will told the Arkansas Times that he hoped to be a lawyer one day but added: “I really don’t feel that there’s currently liberty and justice for all.”
Although his parents are straight, the family has attended a number of Gay Pride events and have gay friends. He added that he had been called a “gaywad” by some students but many friends had been supportive. He has refused to pledge allegiance since.
When the newspaper asked Will what it means to be American, he replied: “Freedom of speech. The freedom to disagree. That’s what I think pretty much being an American represents.”
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Given that his protest is over the rights of gays and lesbians, the taunts have taken a predictable bent. “In the lunchroom and in the hallway, they’ve been making comments and doing pranks, and calling me gay,” he said. “It’s always the same people, walking up and calling me a gaywad.”
Even so, Will said that he can’t foresee anything in the near future that will make him stand for the pledge. To help him deal with the peer pressure, his parents have printed off posts in his support on blogs and websites. “We’ve told him that people here might not support you, but we’ve shown him there are people all over that support you,” [his mother Laura] Phillips said. “It’s really frustrating to him that people are being so immature.”
Will Phillips has refused to pledge allegiance to the flag until gays and lesbians have equal rights.
And he’s not about to start now, even if other kids are, predictably, teasing him over his stance. When his class was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Will Phillips decided to remain seated while other children in his class stood to pledge allegiance to the US flag.
A substitute teacher tried to make him stand, but Will refused. He continued to refuse for several more days until the teacher became angry. At this point, Will admitted he had told her to “respectfully … go and jump off a bridge”.
He was then made to complete an assignment on why Americans make the pledge while the principal called his mother Laura Phillips, who asserted it was Will’s legal right not to stand. Will told the Arkansas Times that he hoped to be a lawyer one day but added: “I really don’t feel that there’s currently liberty and justice for all.”
Although his parents are straight, the family has attended a number of Gay Pride events and have gay friends. He added that he had been called a “gaywad” by some students but many friends had been supportive. He has refused to pledge allegiance since.
When the newspaper asked Will what it means to be American, he replied: “Freedom of speech. The freedom to disagree. That’s what I think pretty much being an American represents.”
Given that his protest is over the rights of gays and lesbians, the taunts have taken a predictable bent. “In the lunchroom and in the hallway, they’ve been making comments and doing pranks, and calling me gay,” he said. “It’s always the same people, walking up and calling me a gaywad.”
Even so, Will said that he can’t foresee anything in the near future that will make him stand for the pledge. To help him deal with the peer pressure, his parents have printed off posts in his support on blogs and websites. “We’ve told him that people here might not support you, but we’ve shown him there are people all over that support you,” [his mother Laura] Phillips said. “It’s really frustrating to him that people are being so immature.” He’s got a small voice, and he’s just one boy, but 10-year-old Arkansas fifth grader in West Fork School District in Washington County, Will Phillips is making a small stand against a nation with discriminatory policies on the books: he’s refusing to recite the Pledge Of Allegiance at school.
Will Phillips has refused to pledge allegiance to the flag until gays and lesbians have equal rights.
And he’s not about to start now, even if other kids are, predictably, teasing him over his stance. When his class was reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Will Phillips decided to remain seated while other children in his class stood to pledge allegiance to the US flag.
A substitute teacher tried to make him stand, but Will refused. He continued to refuse for several more days until the teacher became angry. At this point, Will admitted he had told her to “respectfully … go and jump off a bridge”.
He was then made to complete an assignment on why Americans make the pledge while the principal called his mother Laura Phillips, who asserted it was Will’s legal right not to stand. Will told the Arkansas Times that he hoped to be a lawyer one day but added: “I really don’t feel that there’s currently liberty and justice for all.”
Although his parents are straight, the family has attended a number of Gay Pride events and have gay friends. He added that he had been called a “gaywad” by some students but many friends had been supportive. He has refused to pledge allegiance since.
When the newspaper asked Will what it means to be American, he replied: “Freedom of speech. The freedom to disagree. That’s what I think pretty much being an American represents.”
Given that his protest is over the rights of gays and lesbians, the taunts have taken a predictable bent. “In the lunchroom and in the hallway, they’ve been making comments and doing pranks, and calling me gay,” he said. “It’s always the same people, walking up and calling me a gaywad.”
Even so, Will said that he can’t foresee anything in the near future that will make him stand for the pledge. To help him deal with the peer pressure, his parents have printed off posts in his support on blogs and websites. “We’ve told him that people here might not support you, but we’ve shown him there are people all over that support you,” [his mother Laura] Phillips said. “It’s really frustrating to him that people are being so immature.”
