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To: Hazel Park School District

Remove Ms.Vance

I want them to remove Ms. Vance as a volunteer from their school system

Why is this important?

On September 20th a volunteer at Ameilia's school tried to pull her from her seat because she refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. I say tried because as she yanked and pulled Millie under her arms trying to get her to stand she refused. I was in the hall right outside of the class talking to Millie's teacher and hadn't noticed until she started screaming mommy. When I stepped back in the class and said she doesn't have to stand for the pledge instead of taking her hands immediately off my child she looked at the teacher and asked if she had to stand. The teacher replied no and she then let my baby go.

Now anyone who knows me knows it took everything in me not to lose my temper. Mind you this was the 4th time that this volunteer had put her hands on Ameilia in an inappropriate way in FRONT of me. I had already met with the principal and was in the hall talking to the teacher about her at that moment. When the teacher and I stepped back in the hall after both witnessing this she told me that she would speak to Mrs.Vance. I then told her that I was planning to let her know that Millie didn't want to stand for the pledge and I had told her she didn't have too.

Ameilia has said she didn't know why she had to stand for the pledge and that she didn't feel like it and I told her that she didn't have to. When she didn't stand and sat quietly in her seat that should have been that. Unfortunately, the teacher then told me that she wanted Millie to "understand what was afforded to her in this country because in some countries 5-year-olds don't go to school. They wake up and go to sweatshops." I can only imagine what would have happened if I wasn't there.

I had already met with the principal about this volunteer grabbing Millie before this incident and after this incident, I called the Superintendent. Nothing has happened to the teacher or the volunteer but Ameilia's class was changed as if she had done something wrong. Now I am being told that I am not allowed to walk my 5-year-old to class because it's board policy even though I walked her to class every day before this incident. I asked to see this policy in writing but it still has not been provided to me.

It is unacceptable for Hazel Park School District to have volunteers physically forcing children to stand for the pledge. My daughter decided not to stand and I supported her as a parent. Instead of taking the right steps and removing Ms. Vance from the classroom my child had to change classes and now I'm not allowed to walk her to class as I've always done. Clearly we are being targeted by the school. Tell Hazel Park School District to remove Ms. Vance and stop punishing my daughter for sitting for the anthem.
Hazel Park, MI, United States

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Updates

2017-11-04 10:07:10 -0700

The lawyer who I have been working with at the ACLU is presenting our case to their committee next week to decide on further action.

2017-11-03 12:58:30 -0700

20,000 signatures reached

2017-11-03 09:53:53 -0700

10,000 signatures reached

2017-10-17 18:26:20 -0700

5,000 signatures reached

2017-10-16 09:33:48 -0700

1,000 signatures reached

2017-10-13 13:59:39 -0700

500 signatures reached

2017-10-12 08:50:57 -0700

I have contacted the ACLU who've sent the case over to their legal team. Also waiting to hear back from Fox 2 News about an interview. They are investigating the story.

2017-10-12 05:36:33 -0700

100 signatures reached

2017-10-12 04:00:11 -0700

50 signatures reached

2017-10-12 01:50:32 -0700

25 signatures reached

2017-10-11 20:27:21 -0700

10 signatures reached