Teachers, get out your yardsticks to see if classroom flags measure up

Culled from this week's legislative report from the Wyoming Democrats:

Patriotism in the classroom (HB 204):  Rep. Gerald Gay (R-Casper) introduced legislation that would require all classrooms to have a standard sized American flag and that at the first period of each day students must recite the Pledge of Allegiance.  It also requires school boards to "ensure that no other flag or banner containing a political message or connotation is displayed higher" than the flag and that they have a policy for students who do not wish to recite the pledge.  The proposal passed the House on Monday and the Senate Minerals Committee on Friday on a vote of 4-1.  It now goes to the full Senate.

Wyoming teachers survived a legislative assault on their status as tenured educators. However, they now will have to carry a yardstick at all times, not to whack student knuckles (I went to Catholic school) but to ensure the proper size of the U.S. flag in their classrooms. No more of those disruptive "My American flag is bigger than yours" battles among teachers. When asked by their parents if their school room has a standard-sized American flag made in China, students can now answer loudly and proudly "yes!" or add emphasis with the German "yavohl!"

What are the consequences should a first-grader refuse to recite the pledge to the standard-size U.S. flag? That's when teachers will be allowed to use their yardsticks in a punitive manner. The details have yet to be worked out, but I'm sure Rep. Gay is working this weekend on the guidelines.

See how simple legislation can be?