• zifnab25 [he/him, any]
    ·
    8 months ago

    https://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/what-countries-have-a-pledge-of-allegiance-in-schools/

    Philippines, Singapore, India, Nigeria, Indonesia, and Japan all have in-school pledges.

    I think the impact of the pledges are heavily overstated, particularly as kids get older and begin to naturally rebel. Sort of like how D.A.R.E. was a failure, in large part because it was quickly apparent to a lot of teenagers that this stuff was inflated bullshit. The real value, I think (much like with DARE), is in identifying certain kids who are outwardly rebellious and singling them out for punishment. Pledges become a litmus test for general obedience.

    • Findom_DeLuise [she/her, they/them]
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      D.A.R.E. taught me that weed was non-addictive and also gave me an excuse to wear hot pink because I beat my entire class at trivia and won a hot pink D.A.R.E. t-shirt. It made it into the rotation, and was of such a radioactive hue that relatives and classmates alike would avert their eyes from the pain. It was glorious, and probably should have been a not-so-subtle hint that I was a freaking egg.

      Edit: The fucking winning question was the names of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I was the only diehard TMNT fan in my tiny 6th grade class, so there was an audible groan as everyone in the room turned to look at me, "say the line, Bart"-style.

      • zifnab25 [he/him, any]
        ·
        8 months ago

        The fucking winning question was the names of the four Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

        That's insulting easy.

        I was the only diehard TMNT fan in my tiny 6th grade class

        How do I reach these kids!

        • Findom_DeLuise [she/her, they/them]
          ·
          8 months ago

          It was rural KKKracKKKerstan and like maybe two other people in my class had cable, and the series hadn't been on the air for very long. These backwoods rubes were barely cognizant of (G1) Transformers, Thundercats, or Masters of the Universe, let alone their pick-me counterparts (e.g., Go-Bots and Silverhawks). By the time TMNT hit, they were barely discovering Matchbox and Hot Wheels. Micro Machines wasn't even a blip on the radar.

          • Greenleaf [he/him]
            ·
            edit-2
            8 months ago

            Go-Bots

            “Now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time… a long time”

    • huf [he/him]
      ·
      8 months ago

      yeah, we never had pledges and sang the anthems only on national holidays and still nearly everyone grew up to be a nationalist chud, so i don think it's necessary...