Background: SB13 proposes an amendment to the Alabama Constitution requiring all public K-12 schools to broadcast or sanction the performance of the first stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner at least once per week during school hours. The bill mandates that local boards of education adopt policies enforcing this requirement. Schools may either broadcast a recording archived within the Library of Congress or sanction a live performance by a school band, choir, or vocalist using original sheet music from the Library of Congress. The bill seeks to reinforce patriotism through mandated exposure to the national anthem.
Our Position: We oppose SB 13. The ACLU of Alabama affirms the First Amendment rights of citizens of the United States, including students. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of expression, including the right to choose whether to engage in patriotic displays. Patriotism takes many shapes and forms, but it should not take the form of forcing students to listen to the Star-Spangled Banner.
