A New York school has experienced a less-than-stellar Foreign Langauge Week after students and parents jeered and complained over an Arabic reading of the Pledge of Allegiance.
As part of the spirit of the week, Pine Bush High School’s morning announcements on Wednesday included an Arabic reading of the American pledge of allegiance.
The gesture was met with anger and mockery by students, the Times Herald-Record reported.
School Superintendent Joan Carbone received complaints from military and Jewish families, the Record reported.
Principal Aaron Hopmayer issued an apology the same day.
“We sincerely apologize for having the Pledge of Allegiance recited this morning in the High School in a language other than English,” the apology read.
The Record also took a photo of a car windshield, on which someone had scrawled, “We live in America speak English.” Several students reportedly tweeted their objection, one writing that the pledge should always be read in English.
Carbone told the paper that the gesture was “something that was supposed to be good but turned out not to be.”
