Connecticut Student Accused of Saying ‘ISIS’ in Pledge of Allegiance

A 15-year-old student at Ansonia High School in Connecticut allegedly said “ISIS” (Islamic State/ISIL) instead of “United States” when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

The incident took place before Christmas vacation, and local authorities did not charge the boy. He remains unidentified because he is a minor.

Ansonia police Lt. Andrew Cota said they handed the case over to the Department of Homeland Security. The boy takes classes at an annex building now.

His mother told the Board of Education he “did not breach any of the codes of conduct, he did not misbehave; the thing that he was alleged was not even founded. It was not true.”

“He never threatened anybody, he never harmed anyone and Ansonia has not moved to deal with it,” she continued. “He is not there because of discipline, because of any ill behavior. He is there because the educational environment at Ansonia High School became hostile.”

However, the board’s vice president, Carmen Pitney, said other students “verified” the boy’s actions, which “is why the principal and the officer had to take action.”

Civil Rights lawyer John R. Williams thinks everyone overreacted. He insisted the school officials should have been “sent to the principal’s office, been given a stern lecture and maybe a couple of hours of detention.”