Congratulations Mr. Barnett and Classes!
Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the Commonwealth of Kentucky The fifth grade Social Studies classes of Pulaski Elementary School have, after several years of work, achieved a great distinction. Students at the school for the last three sessions of the Kentucky General Assembly have lobbied for the passage of a pledge of allegiance to our state flag. The State Pledge of Allegiance was originally penned by teacher Ben Barnett in the winter of 1996. This was after a student asked why, at an assembly, they had not also recited a pledge to the state flag. After some research, Barnett found that no pledge existed and thus proposed one. During the past three biannual sessions of the General Assembly, the students have lobbied members of the House and Senate. Encouraging the Representatives and Senators to vote for and support the measure. Students have learned a great deal about government and how the legislative process works. On March 23rd, 2000, word came to the school that Senate Bill 68 had passed the Kentucky State House of Representatives by a margin of 95 - 0. The Bill was signed into law by Governor Paul Patton a week later on March 29th. The students here at Pulaski Elementary are very excited and proud of this accomplishment. To watch a bill be introduced and passed by a state legislature is a task most often reserved for college and university students. The revised official state pledge now reads: "I pledge allegiance to the Kentucky flag, and to the Sovereign State for which it stands, One Commonwealth, blessed with diversity, natural wealth, beauty, and grace from on High." Have the students learned much from their experience in working on the various proposed pledge bills? In July 1999, fifth grade student Josh Wheeler, submitted a proposed pledge of allegiance for the county flag to the officials of Pulaski County Fiscal Court. That proposed pledge was also adopted by the court in July of 1999.
Mr. Barnett and Group 1 pose in front of the Kentucky flag. |
