GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 65
Committee Substitute Favorable 3/29/95

Short Title:  U.S. Flag/Pledge in Classroom.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors:

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  

─────────────────────────────────────── 

January 30, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE DISPLAY OF THE UNITED STATES FLAG IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM, TO ENCOURAGE THE DISPLAY OF THE NORTH CAROLINA FLAG IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM, TO REQUIRE STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE EVERY DAY, TO ENCOURAGE THE DISPLAY OF THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH CAROLINA FLAGS AND THE RECITATION OF THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND HOME SCHOOLS, AND TO ENCOURAGE DONATIONS OF FLAGS TO BE DISPLAYED IN EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 115C-47 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:
"(29a)	To Require the Display of the United States Flag, to Encourage the Display of the North Carolina Flag, and to Require the Recitation of the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance. – Local boards of education shall adopt policies to require the display of the United States flag in each classroom, to encourage the display of the North Carolina flag in each classroom, and to require the daily recitation of the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance during the morning hours of each school day in all grades in the public schools.  The policy shall provide that the teacher in charge of the room in which the Pledge or Oath is to be recited, or a person designated by the principal, shall announce that the class will stand and recite the Pledge or Oath and that children electing not to recite the Pledge or Oath may stand in respectful silence while the Pledge or Oath is being recited."
Sec. 2.  Part 2 of Article 39 of Subchapter X of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-556.1.  Display of Flags; Recitation of Pledge or Oath of Allegiance.
Every qualified nonpublic school is encouraged to display the United States and North Carolina flags in each classroom and to provide the opportunity for students to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis, preferably each day, but not less than once each week."
Sec. 3.  Part 1 of Article 39 of Subchapter X of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-548.1.  Display of Flags; Recitation of Pledge or Oath of Allegiance.
Every private church school or school of religious charter is encouraged to display the United States and the North Carolina flags in each classroom and to provide the opportunity for students to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis, preferably each day, but not less than once each week."
Sec. 4.  Part 3 of Article 39 of Subchapter X of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-564.1.  Display of Flags; Recitation of Pledge or Oath of Allegiance.
Every home school is encouraged to display the United States and North Carolina flags and to provide the opportunity for students to recite the Pledge or Oath of Allegiance on a regular basis, preferably each day, but not less than once each week."
Sec. 5.  The General Assembly encourages the display of actual flags, wherever their location in the classroom and whatever their size.  To this end, local boards of education, superintendents, and principals are encouraged to solicit and may accept donations of flags or funds to purchase or replenish flags to be displayed in each classroom.  If actual flags are not available or provided, then a reasonable facsimile such as a picture, poster, or drawing of the United States flag shall be displayed.
Sec. 6.  Each local board of education shall notify the State Board of Education no later than December 31, 1995, of the number of United States flags that have been donated or provided to the local school administrative unit during the last calendar year and the number of United States flags it continues to need to provide one for each public school classroom in that local school administrative unit.  The State Board of Education shall report these numbers and the cost of providing these flags to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 31, 1996.
Sec. 7.  This act is effective upon ratification.  Section 1 of this act shall be fully implemented no later than August 1, 1996.