black 6th grader ‘violently’ dragged off his seat by teacher for not standing during pledge of allegiance

As the #NFLBoycott—started when Colin Kaepernick was blacklisted from the league after kneeling for the pledge of allegiance in protest of anti-Black state violence—continues at full steam (even though many still refuse to attribute the ratings dip to the protests), a Farmington Hills, MI middle school student decided to take a similar stand. But his punishment went beyond blacklisting.

Stone Chaney, a sixth-grader at East Middle School, says he refused to stand for the pledge allegiance when an unnamed teacher violently grabbed him and snatched him out of his chair.

“The teacher consultant comes up behind me and snatches me out of my chair violently,” Chaney told local news station WDIV. “I was so confused. I didn’t know what was going on.”

The incident occurred on September 7th, during the first week of the school, and Chaney said within that time another teacher also yelled at him for sitting during the pledge.

“I don’t stand because I don’t pledge to a flag,” Stone explained. “I pledge to God and family.”

The homeroom teacher who allegedly attacked the student was put on leave and is currently under investigation, but Chaney’s parents aren’t sure he’ll return to the school.

“I don’t feel safe going to that school anymore because I don’t know what they’re going to do next,” Stone said.

“It’s his choice to sit,” his father, Brian Chaney told WDIV, explaining that he went to talk to the district directly. “I don’t make him sit. And they should respect that.”

The Farmington Public Schools superintendent released the following statement in response to the incident:

“The District fully supports the right of each student to participate or not in the daily Pledge. The teacher allegedly involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave. At this time, the District cannot speculate about the outcome of the pending investigation.”