Transcript for Mom speaks out about son’s Pledge of Allegiance arrest
The story of a sixth grader facing charges after refusing to say the pledge of allegiance in class. His mother speaking out. Janai Norman has the story. Reporter: Police are trying to set the record straight and say that student was arrested for disrupting the classroom, not refusing to say the pledge but that started the whole incident that ended with an 11-year-old in handcuffs. The mother of a young boy is speaking out after her 11-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor for refusing to stand for the pledge of allegiance. According to charging documents, the sixth grader at a middle school wouldn’t stand, telling a substitute teacher thinks the flag of this country is racist. The substitute then confronted the boy. That exchange outraging the boy’s mother, dhakira Talbot. She told my son to go back to his homeland. He was confused. He was like, what do you mean, Africa. She said, yeah. Reporter: After that the confrontation continued with the substitute calling the school’s student resource officer to the classroom. The boy initially refused to leave. The sro claims the child was cryingsaying, I’m going to beat that teacher and I’m going to get all of you fired. The boy’s mother denies those claims. And he was being treated like he was the one that did something wrong when he’s the victim. Reporter: Ultimately the 11-year-old was charged with misdemeanors including resisting an officer without violence. The school district reportedly says students are not required to stand for the pledge but the substitute didn’t know about that policy. The district is now looking into how teachers are trained and won’t allow that substitute to teach at the school again. The sub will never teach again but look what the impact it’s had on my son. Reporter: And the school district says it respects students’ right to freedom of expression. School officials say it was the officer who decided to arrest that student and that no school officials requested that they press charges. Should have never escalated to that point. Thanks.
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