“Until they became conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.” ― George Orwell, 1984.
This dystopian novel describes life in a totalitarian regime that has stripped the people of their rights. The themes in this novel have become a major part of modern culture, as have terms such as “big brother” and “doublespeak”.
Before school started for the 2015-2016 school years, teachers were asked to sign a document. This document, Nebraska Revised Statute 79-8,108, actually comes from a law passed in 1951 in the middle of the Cold War and the Second Red Scare. This Loyalty Pledge states:
“I, ………., do believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; an indissoluble nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.
I acknowledge it to be my duty to inculcate in the hearts and minds of all pupils in my care, so far as it is in my power to do, (1) an understanding of the United States Constitution and of the Constitution of Nebraska, (2) a knowledge of the history of the nation and of the sacrifices that have been made in order that it might achieve its present greatness, (3) a love and devotion to the policies and institutions that have made America the finest country in the world in which to live, and (4) opposition to all organizations and activities that would destroy our present form of government.”
In the basic vernacular, it says that the individual that signs believes in the American government and won’t portray it as anything less than good. But why are teachers just now being asked to sign it?
“There are advocacy groups in the state of Nebraska that have brought this particular statute to the attention of the Department of Education. So, when I was contacted, I immediately called the school attorney and asked if this was a valid law, which it is,” Superintendent Craig Kautz said.
A the law is still on the books, and to prove to faculty that this was nothing to worry about, Kautz signed this pledge. This document is something from another era and is in some ways uncomfortably patriotic, which is why some teachers were hesitant to sign it.
“Teachers are not required to sign it and they will not be in trouble if they don’t. If they feel that it is impeding their rights, they can decline to sign it,” Kautz said.
Other teachers, however, did sign it. Mrs. Kim Remmers teaches fourth grade at Hawthorne Elementary school and she signed this pledge.
“I grew up military, that’s the way I’ve always been. This is America, so you stand up for America. I signed this pledge to support the government. Even if I don’t agree with the government, there are ways I can go about making my grievances known,” Remmers said.
The loyalty pledge has sparked some healthy conversation among district employees.
“Well, I think having pride in a person’s country is a good thing. What this pledge says is all right. I think having to sign your name to it is not necessarily a good thing. You can’t force people to feel a certain way,” social studies teacher Mr. David Johnson said.
This law was created to ensure patriotism in a time of great fear and unrest. In the end, it doesn’t matter if a person signed it or not. Faculty can sign it if they wish, and if they don’t want to sign it, they don’t have to. As Kautz said, staff will be asked to sign it and their refusal will not go against them.
