Principal who cancelled 'O Canada' explains himself

""The difficulty we were having were that children we having physical reactions to the anthem. They would scrunch up their face, put their fingers in their ears, bend down and get on the floor because they felt they were doing something they weren't allowed to do," he added."

Kid's wern't allowed to sing the anthem? Who the hell are these parents that teach these kids they aren't allowed to listen or hear it?

Immigrant no doubt, fucking hell.

Why is this National news? This has been blows too far out of proportion. My school only ever played the anthem at assemblies. I'm still patriotic. It's not an unusual situation. I think singing it every morning is odd.

I'm not sure these 'parents' really exist,

and even if they did, why should two decide for everyone ?



seems more like a personal agenda.

I can remember the national anthem every morning and the lord's prayer, I think the singing anthem should be played every morning, and this guy needs to be fired. I went to public school and high school in rural Ontario, there were bus delays sure but some how there was not the anarchy this guy claims there is.

Smacle where did you go to school?

It's our freaking national anthem. It's important for kids to learn it. Now granted I can see the lord's prayer not being used in a public school but our National anthem is a part of being Canadian. Live with it!

This guy is a raging agenda-pusher. This isn't about accommodation, human rights, students or anything of that magnitude - it's about a anti-intellectual cause-head who wants to ram HIS views down his school's throat. If he was - or parents - were really concerned they'd clearly promulgate their reasons and articulate why they trump the collective views of others. He hasn't, and that (and his obvious questionable leadership) is what is truly scary in a free and open society.

Not quite.

People who do not wish to participate in the daily national anthem may opt out.

Currently, those who wish to participate in a daily national anthem cannot opt in.

Yes teaching the future of our nation to take pride and respect in their national anthem by requiring them to show repect for 45 seconds is much worse than just throwing it out the window. It's only a matter of time before the anthem means fuck all to our citizens. go to a hockey game, look around, even though the P/.A. announcer asks everybody to stand and remove their hats, many peopl ignore it. I was at the 67's and Bulls game last night, the anthem was about to start, my son who just turned 4 stood up, took off his Belleville Bulls hat and stood facing the flag at attention(WITHOUT BEING TOLD), yet many adults and teens stood up, left their hats on, continued their conversations, drinking their beers whatever. An older couple behind us at the end of the anthem said that little boy shows more respect then half the adults in this place.

Well you dont have to tell us Albertans!

Choas in the halls. Thats laughable. I remember in elementary/high school we had to stop in our tracks if we came in late and the anthem was playing. Wait until it's over and go to your class. I can see that this idiot thinks banning something is easier than finding a solution and working at the problem.

F, put the kids who don't want to hear the anthem in some room in the morning where it doesn't play. After it is all done, they may go to their classes. Why should we just have to remove the anthem. If they bitch about the kids not being included, well, this is what we do in the morning, take part or leave. It sounds as if they are the minority.

There ain't anything logical in his argument. The suggestions of a personal agenda certainly seem plausible.

my recollection of singing the anthem in school every morning until I moved to the States at the tender age of 6 already had me touting my Canadian identity when surrounded by American schoolkids who said their pledge to the flag every day...

In the States I would stand and be respectful, but not speak their words... All my friends were American, but as a 'resident alien' (and CANADIAN citizen), I had my own loyalties. If you're an immigrant, do your thing if you must, but how dare you tell Canadians what we may or may not do in our own land.

When I joined the Boy Scouts of America, I wore the uniform and said their pledges and sang the US anthem, because I'd chosen to belong to that group. If you make a choice to join an organisation like the scouts/police/army, don't then disrespect their rules and obligations.

I loved growing up in Chicago, but I knew where I was from and kept that pride all my years down there until I returned to Canada for university. Now I'm back out in Nova Scotia after living in 9 cities and 4 countries, and everywhere I went, I took my flag, my pride and love of Canada, and an openness to whatever culture I was living in.

Let the homegrowns who don't want to sing the anthem live in some other part of the world for a while, preferably in some part where they aren't given the same rights and freedoms as they are here, then we'll see how 'horrible' it is that they are asked to AT THE VERY LEAST, rise, be silent if not sing, and show some respect.

Cheers to all who love our home and native land, be you from here or away.

Its simple if a child misbehaves during the anthem, they get detention, where they must write out the anthem in both English and French.