Texas teen expelled for not standing for Pledge of Allegiance sues school

Read Story Transcript

Update: On Tuesday, India Landry's mother, Kizzy Landry, told As it Happens that her daughter returned to school today, but had to come home early due to anxiety. She says the school is making it difficult for India to make up the work she missed while she was expelled. 

For the past three years, India Landry had been sitting while her classmates stand to swear the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag. She says the pledge goes against everything she believes.
 
But a week ago Landry was expelled. She says it was because she refused to stand during the pledge.

This isn't the NFL. You won't do this here.-Texas high school student India Landry, on what she was told on being expelled for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.

The story made headlines and the family filed a lawsuit. Then the school principal called Landry to say that she could return to school — and that she can continue to sit.

India Landry spoke with As it Happens host Carol Off from Houston. Here is some of their conversation.

India, can you describe what happened the day you were expelled from school?

I was sitting in the office, and the principal of the school was in there, and the secretary, and the Pledge of Allegiance came over the intercom. And they both stood. And I didn't. And when they saw me not standing, they asked me to stand. And I said I wouldn't do that. And they said, "Well, you're gonna stand or you can't be here." And I said, "I won't do that." And they said, "Well you're kicked out of here." And she walked out of the room.

And then what happened?

I sat there, and I waited. And while I was waiting, the secretary was like, "This isn't the NFL. You won't do this here." And then they brought me into another room where I talked to an assistant principal. And the whole time, she was saying, "Your mom needs to be here in five minutes, 'cause if she's not, we're gonna have the police escort you out of the building, because you're 17." 

And so did your mom come?

Yeah, my mom lives 30 minutes away from the school. She couldn't be there in five minutes. They still kept me there.

And what inspired you to sit through the Pledge of Allegiance?

I just didn't feel it would be right for me to stand, because I'm standing for something that isn't true. It wasn't a particular incident — it was multiple things that I kept seeing happening in the news...police brutality, injustice, Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner.

Were you inspired by Colin Kaepernick, the quarterback who knelt during the national anthem? 

Yeah. I had been [sitting] before that, but then I seen that and was happy that that was happening, too.

• AS IT HAPPENS: Entire Indiana Fever team take a knee during national anthem

And what are the actual rules at your school?

You don't have to stand. And when they see you not standing, they call to your home, to your parent. And once your parent is okay with you not standing, they're just supposed to leave it alone. 

And what does your mother think of you not standing?

She's proud of me. She supports my decision.

And what had they decided was going to happen with you after you had been kicked out?

They told me I couldn't come back. They talked on the phone about it.  My mom didn't understand why, because it's not illegal to not stand. We had a meeting with them. They still wouldn't let me back into the school. The superintendent said I couldn't get kicked out for it. And the principal of the school still wouldn't let me back. 

The flag represents liberty and justice, and obviously with what's been happening, it doesn't.- India Landry, teen who refused to stand for Pledge of Allegiance

And what has happened now? 

Friday they called, and said I could return to school — probably because they realized the amount of trouble they'd be in, because me being on the news.

U.S. President Donald Trump says this is disrespectful to flag and country, it's disrespectful of servicemen and women in the United States. What do you say to him?

I don't agree. And I think that it's disrespectful of him to not understand why people are protesting. The flag represents liberty and justice, and obviously with what's been happening, it doesn't. So we can't stand for something that isn't supporting of everyone. 

So your family is suing the school? 

Yes.

You'll be back at school tomorrow?

Yeah, I think so.

How are you feeling about that?

I'm nervous. Scared. Because I don't want to be mistreated again.  

But do you think you're going to have a lot of support from your friends and classmates?

I hope so.

This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. For more on this story, listen to our full interview with India Landry.