Proposed Pledge

[Debbiedle]

This pledge is what the government proposes to legislate for ALL pupils to repeat at their morning assemblies.

As per the Mail and Guardian

The proposed pledge reads: "We the youth of South Africa, recognising the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered and sacrificed for justice and freedom.

"We will respect and protect the dignity of each person, and stand up for justice.

"We sincerely declare that we shall uphold the rights and values of our Constitution and promise to act in accordance with the duties and responsibilities that flow from these rights."


Are you happy to have your kids recite this 3 to 5 times a week and is this a possible solution to the rampant disrespect that the teachers put up with?

[daveob]

recognising the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered and sacrificed for justice and freedom.

Oh boy !!

This really does not strike me as a way to move away from the past and strive for the future growth of our nation.

Yes, we all know about the past and those that fought so hard for a better South Africa. We have their names on the buildings, hospitals, highways, etc.

But there are also some of those names on the court summonses, newspaper headlines of controversy involving rape, bribes, murder, etc, etc.

Just because someone was involved in the struggle, doesn't mean that I want my kids viewing them as role models, and I certainly don't want the errors of our past drummed into their brains on a regular basis - those things should soon be relegated to the history books.

And even the political discussion aside, I have learnt from bitter personal experience in the University of Hard Life, that absolutely ZIP came about by harping on the past - I never did learn how to change that.

[Chatmaster]

I've been thinking about this pledge for a couple of days now since it was announced. A lot has been said by people about the pledge both for and against.

I want to state my support for the idea, of a pledge that will install national pride and good values with our kids. However, what is clear from the composition of the pledge is that it is written by the wrong person. It is written by an adult and in adult format. Secondly, the content of the pledge starts out with the sentence...

recognising the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered and sacrificed for justice and freedom

Although this is true it is clearly one sided and negative towards race. Although this is going to be pledged by all races, it will divide those feeling proud and those feeling ashamed about the past. It doesn't install the pride it is suposed to imo.

I heard many people say, but the past is part of who we are today! Well it is and certainly will be part of history, but the objective of a pledge is to install pride for generations to come. These kids had nothing to do with the past and should build on a stable non-discriminatory South Africa.

I personally feel that the entire pledge should be written by our children in a competition or forum format. That way we will get the true meaning of a pledge worded by the innocent and positive youth.

[daveob]

I agree with ChatMaster - a pledge by kids for kids.

When I was in school, we had one that covered just about all the values that we were raised by, that started with :

Our Father, who art in Heaven, ....

but then I suppose that's not allowed anymore either.

[Dr KGNKhumalo]

I would agree with Chatmaster.

Personally I would be reluctant to force feed my under 12's with the burden of knowing such a heavy demand as a 'Constitution'. The question is sure to pop up!

It reeeks of political orientation rather than personal honour and integrity.

[Debbiedle]

I plan to find out where and how representation must be made regarding this as I find the content offensive. I am a South African, I want all South Africans to move forward and in my little way I contribute to that daily. My children have been raised accordingly and in my opinion this pledge can and will destroy all those efforts and the efforts of other South Africans just like me.

I would love to see our kids pledge along the lines of "dignity and respect for all, friendship and care etc etc"

[daveob]

Could it be a smokescreen to stir up public opinion and remove focus from some more serious problem ( like electricity, crisis in the ruling party, etc, etc ) ??

If so, looks like it may have worked somewhat.

[Debbiedle]

Hi Daveob

I don't think this is a smokescreen - the doe were pretty much in the limelight earlier this year when the headmaster at a school in the Southern Subs (CT) locked some pupils out. His actions were a very loud cry for help and it made some important people sit up and take note. Now they are looking for solutions.

[Dave A]

Forcing a patriot pledge on minors? That's desperate and just so sad that they have to stoop to indoctrination. Possibly an infringement on individual rights too.

"We sincerely declare that we shall uphold the rights and values of our Constitution and promise to act in accordance with the duties and responsibilities that flow from these rights."

I want to see that recited in parliament before each sitting!! When I see it working there, then maybe we can start thinking this might work in schools.

Government - you want this in our schools - start being role models that demonstrate these are values you live by too.

I reckon have the kids sing the National Anthem. Patriotic, unifying, politically neutral. Written at a time when we were the Rainbow Nation. Perfect for the job.

[Sieg]

To pledge or not to pledge


My question: if I am a learner and I refuse to recite the pledge, am I committing some sort of transgression? Do I have a Constitutional Right to keep quiet?


Sieg

[Sieg]

A simpler pledge which they may just understand?

I pledge:

to be a good kid
to be obedient
to learn
to respect my elders
to listen to the teachers and my parents

to not cause trouble
to not burn down classrooms
to not smoke, drink or take drugs
to not rape
to not have sex with underage kids



Sieg

[Chatmaster]

To pledge or not to pledge


My question: if I am a learner and I refuse to recite the pledge, am I committing some sort of transgression? Do I have a Constitutional Right to keep quiet?


Sieg

I think the question we need to ask ourselves is why would the kid refuse? This would probably come from parents that tell their kids to do so. Most of the kids have no understanding of what a pledge means. They might understand the meaning of some of the words, but not the true meaning of the pledge itself.

There will be issues with regards to parents telling their kids not to say the pledge, I for one will not allow my kid to say the existing pledge. But that brings me to a cross roads, because I do support some sort of a pledge as a starting point for national pride. To please all of us will be near impossible, therefor the suggestion that the kids write their own pledge.

Further more, to say that you commit some sort of transgression will mean that they will have to change the constitution as you mentioned...

This is a tough one!

[Dave A]

Sieg poses a brilliant question.

If you ask the right questions, the answers become obvious.

[Debbiedle]

Hi

Good queston Sieg. Naledi Pandor responded to that question with "why should they?"

My daughter attends an average government school (grade 9) - the consensus in their grade is "WTH?" Why should we carry the same resentments and anger or burdens and guilt that our parents do, this is a new generation we want to get on with life..."

Let us ALL learn from them........

[Graeme]

Pledge

"recognising the injustices of our past,"

As someone wrote in the Mercury this morning, the past began one second ago. What is the Govt going to do with all the injustices since 1994, like affirmative action, quotas in sport...... Need I go on?