Monday, October 26, 2009

Promoting Flag Education


When I was approached by Wilmington American Legion member Joe Steen about the need to ensure that students were educated about the American flag, it was clear that he was making an important point: students in our high schools should understand why our flag is significant and how it should be treated.

The result of our conversation is Senate Bill 282, “An Act to Establish a Program of Instruction of the Flag of the United States.” This bill amends the section of the Massachusetts General Laws that requires students to be educated about the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and other subjects necessary to engaged and responsible citizenship.

S. 282 simply adds the proper treatment of the flag to the list of subjects already in the law. Fortunately, federal law provides clear guidance on the respectful treatment of the flag at 36 U.S.C. 170-177, and this guidance would form the basis of the curriculum required by S. 282.

To view the text of S. 282 please click this link: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st00pdf/st00282.pdf.

Please click http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode36/usc_sec_36_00000144----000-.html# to read the text of the federal law pertaining to the United States flag, 36 U.S.C. 170-177.