Student Fights School Ban For Refusing To Say Pledge

A Tyner High assistant principal barred a student from attending day classes for refusing to say the pledge of allegiance.

But this senior fought this.

Quinesha Garrett says she only pledges to the Lord and opposes many things this country is doing right now.

For those reasons, she chooses to sit when the pledge of allegiance happens at Tyner Academy.

But Garrett says she got into trouble last Thursday for not saying the pledge.

Monday morning, she again sat during the pledge in her morning anatomy class.

This Evening School Placement letter moved her to night school for eight days. Garrett says she would miss softball games because of that.

The School System says the move happened to accommodate her. The pledge is not said in night school. But the Constitution

and Tennessee law clearly states students do not have to say the pledge if they have religious or philosophical objections.

It also states they can sit as Garrett says she has done for years.

Today, she took her attorney to school and met with the assistant principal.

Both left Tyner Academy with their goals accomplished. Garrett's attorney, Jesse Dalton, said, "The suspension has been lifted. She will be back in school tomorrow. And her permanent record will not reflect any of this."

We asked what it took to convince the school? Dalton said, "Not a whole lot, basically just reading them the law and advising them we would take them to court if they didn't follow."

The senior was happy and plans to stand by her convictions. "I feel like a lot of people try to take advantage because we're younger and we're kids and everything and we don't know our rights. They try to take advantage of us, if it's something that I morally I feel I shouldn't be doing, then I won't be doing it and I don't think they can force it upon me, Garrett said.

She says she will continue to sit during the pledge.