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Are Great Mills students just too lazy to stand or

too dumb to know they should be standing?

These Great Mills High School students failed to stand for the Star Spangled Banner at the beginning of the game between Great Mills and La Plata, while many of their fellow students did stand. ST. MARY'S TODAY photos by Frank Marquart

Reader Feedback:

Should students be required to stand for the National Anthem?

Send your views to staff1@stmarystoday.com

Reader Feedback:
If students want to fight, there are many places in this world they can go and fight. just go and ask the United States Marine Corps recruiter. They will even pay you to fight. and, next time a student does not stand and pay his or respects to our country's flag or anthem, it should be a mandatory trip to the Walter Reed Hospital and walk the halls and see the wounded combat vets and whether you agree with the war or not. The men and women in that hospital deserve your respect. If you expect any respect , then how about giving some respect. If any student is caught in a fight they should be expelled... not suspended....expelled for the year at least. I bet you the fighting will stop then.

Dan Morris (Former U.S. Marine and Viet Nam Vet)

Reader Feedback:
Speaking as a proud graduate of Great Mills (20 year reunion this year) I am so tired of hearing nothing but negative in regard to this school. Why is it that people feel the need to only speak of this school when something less than desirable occurs? There are so many good things going on at this school and so many bright students. While in high school myself - the others (Leonardtown, Ryken, Chopticon) have just as much trouble and you NEVER read about it - just gets shoved under the rug. I had friends at 2 of these other schools and I can say that things I heard about were just as bad as the fights if not worse - between fights and drugs they both occurred at ALL 4 schools - so again I ask why do we only hear about it when it happens at GMHS??? I am a parent of 2 that will attend GMHS and I am not hesitant at all to send them there and I feel that they will succeed in life "even though they attend GMHS". I am just very tired of getting that "look" anytime I state that I graduated from GMHS. I feel that how children respond to situations reflects on their home life. If they are lucky enough to have parents that are involved with their lives and take the time to raise them with morals and virtues then it will not matter where they attend school, they will be awesome! It is not right for you to stereotype all GMHS students because of the actions of a handful (that may or may not have even been students there) - did you photographer bother to find that out? Last time I checked the games are open to all.
Thanks,
Lisa Warren (1988 GMHS Graduate and Proud OF IT!)
(Editor's Note: Even though you attended Great Mills High School, I would still expect better reading comprehension skills than what you exhibit. Certainly you have read our views on Great Mills that this school has all the potential to be an excellent school when and if the 5 percent disruptive students are either brought under control or tossed out so the 95 percent student body which is there to learn, can do so, without fear or intimidation. Don't be a knee jerk reactionary, instead, insist on the school board taking firm action and remember, the ones who are doing the stereotyping are you and others who think that publicity over fighting punks or lazy and unpatriotic students is typical of the rest of the student body. They are are not, as far as we can see but such behavior should not be tolerated and if the news reports of their behavior offends you, don't read it, just stick your head back in the sand. However, GMHS will be a better school for your kids if you insist on high standards for the conduct of the school, not pretending that low standards are somehow okay.
Thank you for your views and I hope you step up to the plate to improve this school, the community needs it badly. Also, we have covered all of the county's high schools when they have been involved in the news, but I can't think of a single time when 14 students have been arrested for fighting in one hour, except the punks at Great Mills.)

Reader Feedback:

My response to your Editors Note.

    You like to pick on how Great Mills students or St. Mary's County schools in general have an inability to spell, but what I do not understand, is why you had never done a story on the Chopticon event. Come on, how do you not write a story on how a teenager has a locker full of drugs that was in a Bible? Yet you still write about how Great Mills has "dumb students".

    Did that school ever do anything to you? Did that school harm you in any way? I mean come on, stop acting so immature and childish and leave Great Mills alone for a change.

    The people who didn't stand for the National Anthem, yes, they were disrespectful, but wasn't your photographer taking a picture during the anthem? So what make it okay for a grown man to take pictures during the anthem?

    Oh! Another issue I am having. Did you not know, that after elementary school, or maybe the sixth grade, depending on the school, you stop learning the Spelling curriculum. So therefore, knowing how to spell is not needed to graduate. Teenagers, tend to type differently on the Internet so that replying to a message, would be a lot faster, explaining most of the misspells.

    If only you could see that its not a bad school. I do NOT attend Great Mills. Get it through your head already. Taxpayers are helping pay for the county school foods, supplies, teacher salary, etc. They help all of these things, except for the function of a student's brain and their ability to spell.

    School administrators can only try to get the students and/or audience to stand for the National Anthem. They can not MAKE them stand. It is a persons choice to stand. The administrators can make up as many goals as they want, but it won't change a persons right to stand or sit.

    The students who are disruptive, well that is a different story. It all very well depends on how they are being disruptive. Not everything and anything that is disruptive, is something worth being expelled for.

    I agree that fighting during school hours is wrong, but why is only Great Mills the one called out? You hear about a fight at Great Mills and automatically think that it is a bad school. All this is, is stereotyping. A student or group of students, shouldn't be used to judge a school.
Danielle Jones
(Editor's Note: The week following the game at Great Mills where many in the crowd sat on their cans during the playing of the National Anthem, all of the fans at Leonardtown High School stood for the Anthem, with the same simple announcement and no other admonition for the crowd to get off their butts. One older woman continued to sit, playing her game boy, but she may have had a medical condition as an excuse, given her obesity. The real problem is not the school, it is the parents of the heathens who attend the school, who have failed to properly teach their children anything and expect the schools to do parenting for them. The breakdown of the black family from 1967 where 70 percent of black families had fathers in the household, in a marriage to the present circumstances where black males have simply become roosters and single women are trying to hold down a job and be both parents, as is the case in two thirds of black families, can be connected to much of the problem. Just look at the kiddie playground which is prominently placed in the front of Great Mills High School. The playground is there for all of the unmarried, underage girls who get knocked up by the roosters and then start a lifetime of having them and their babies on the public dole. It apparently is their right to get pregnant and expect others to pay for their 'fun'. Given these circumstances it is probably too much to expect roosters to stand for a nation that provides for them and it is clear that some who go to school there have no respect for such a silly nation to would pander to slobs. The use of internet writing shorthand is yet another outcome of providing the information superhighway in our schools. The disruptive students need to be yanked out of Great Mills or any other school and placed in the Kiddie Criminal Academy so that the 95 percent of the young people who are attending school seeking an education can do so without drugs being sold or fighting taking place. Black leaders such as Bill Cosby try to tell the truth, but bozos don't want to hear it. Martin Luther King led a historic march for rights, one of which was the right for an education. The chief impediment to education at Great Mills comes from punks, who are the modern version of the Ku Klux Klan, they are just black klansmen, operating on the same principles. Fear, intimidation, retaliation. The doors are open to all regardless of race, it is up to the individual to learn.)

Reader Feedback:
Mr. Editor,

I've read comments from your readers and you yourself exclaiming standing for the National Anthem is a law and your comments baffle me because no seems to have actually read the law and applied it to this situation. While congress did recognize the Star Spangled Banner as the National anthem, congress was merely stating an opinion or what I like to call wasting tax payer money.

As you'll notice in the �law� TITLE 36 > Subtitle I > Part A > CHAPTER 3 > § 301 National anthem subsection (A) the words �should� stand is used instead of the words �shall� stand. Forcing someone to stand for the national anthem is considered a violation of the First Amendment. Congress in their infinite wisdom approved a law which cannot be enforcement and if were to be enforced would violate the bill of rights under the first amendment. The Supreme Court has held up the first amendment in similar cases with the pledge of allegiance. You�ll also notice in the law there is no insistence to play the national anthem at sporting events. So why is this law in the first place? Better yet why are we doing it?

What we have here is a congress enacting a law which wasted taxpayer money to pass and a law which can not be enforced because it violates my rights.

The pictures in this article points to kids exercising their rights. How hypocritical are we to support the rights we believe in and then chastise someone for exercising them. The title of the pictures should be kids exercising their rights. Instead of calling them names and insulting them we should be thanking them for having the fortitude to challenge a stupid law and practicing there first amendment rights.

TITLE 36 > Subtitle I > Part A > CHAPTER 3 > § 301

(a) Designation.� The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.

(b) Conduct During Playing.� During a rendition of the national anthem�

(1) when the flag is displayed�

(A) all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;

(B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and

(C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and

(2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.
Mike
(Editor's Note: Its really too bad that the educational system has failed the students of Great Mills so badly. Had history been taught at this school, even for an hour, some of these students would have learned that the words of the Star Spangled Banner were an 1813 version of white rap music, telling the story of the bombardment of Fort McHenry and the valiant defense, at great loss of life, by the American defenders as they resisted the much superior attacking force, all for the purpose of safeguarding the fragile young country. These defenders and many others since, have given their lives so you and your miserable pals can sit on your ass at a basketball game, without fear of an attack of a foreign army keeping you from getting home safely. Your only fear of violence comes from your fellow thug students. Your lack of any real education isn't limited to history, but also to where you think you derive your rights, as it is the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. If you were taught anything at Great Mills, you would learn to have respect for those who have served our nation, for our wonderful land of opportunity, for yourselves as well as others and respect for our National Anthem. Young men and women stand proudly with their heads uncovered, their hands over their hearts and punks sit on their cans. You have the right to remain silent.)
Reader Feedback:
Students are only as good as their teachers. If these kids have role models, which are what their teachers are supposed to be, to teach them why we stand up instead of just telling them to stand up, these kids would stand up with a vengeance. They want to be proud desperately! The teachers don't give them a reason to be proud so they sit.
Clare Stanton
Reader Feedback:
I have a question regarding the story about the students not standing for the national anthem. What do you think is worse? Your photographer Frank Marquart snapping photos of the children not standing, or the children not standing? Either way you look at it I think your photographer is showing just as much disrespect.
Ryan A. Lord
(Editor's Note: Ryan, you are either a child who doesn't know better or a pin-head adult. Were it not for news photographers there would never be a record of any public event, in a church or of an inauguration of a President, of a crowd at a ballgame or any other time when people have their heads bowed in prayer or pledging allegiance.)
Reader Feedback:
That is just typical behavior of the students at Great Mills. It seems like nobody has the Back Bone to correct these kids when they are doing wrong.
Matthew Miller
Reader Feedback:
Hi my name is Justin Smith and im from Great Mills High School and all you guys seem to do is focus on the bad things that go on at our school and make it seem like were such a bad school but what if its just that your a bad newspaper and cannot find good enough stories and choose to pick on us kids at Great Mills and make us all seem like bad students. Not everyone here is just bad or choose not to do the pledge but some of us were instilled with the values to stand for the pledge and the National Anthem just because some dumb students choose not to do the pledge your painting us as a bad school and also it is against the law to force anyone to do the pledge and some of the students are furious at these articles that you seem to always put out toward the student population. I know it is not right to not show a little respect to the flag or the country that you live in and so do many others but they really just need a reality check to show them that people died for this country and for their flag the least that they could do is show a little respect.

Justin Smith
(Editor's Note: Congratulations, Justin, you almost get it! Except for a couple of facts you have wrong. It is not illegal to make these goofballs get off their cans for the Anthem, in fact, as a reader points out, the law requires that everyone stand. Another fact: we have constantly pointed out that 95 percent of the student body behaves and studies, it is the disruptive students that need to be tossed out if they won't behave. God help us if it fails to be legitimate news when 14 students are arrested for fighting at Great Mills High School, as if such an occurrence became a routine part of school life.)

Reader Feedback:
After reading your recent article about students standing for the National Anthem I just want to commend all attendees at the Huntingtown Basketball Tournament this past weekend who stood for each and every playing of the National Anthem. There was a time when you could hear a pin drop in the gym as the Anthem was playing. Every student stood, every hat was removed and every mouth was closed! The teams, family and friends were from Huntingtown, Patuxent, Calvert and Northern High Schools. These four schools should be very proud of the student body that came out to represent their schools and show that there are kids who believe in what the National Anthem and our flag represents and what is to be done when it is played at the games.

Again--Job well done to all that attended the tournament!

Jackie

Reader Feedback:
Everyone should be required to stand for the National Anthem. I am in the military, but more importantly I am an AMERICAN. I am also a basketball official, a parent, a member of a Boosters club, etc.. I have been to many sporting events in the Tri-county area, and I have noticed in every school, spectators, young and old, not standing, men not removing their hats, kids laughing etc. It has nothing to do with parents being on welfare, people driving Escalades (as Dave Brown states), it is an individuals decision not to stand, not his or her parents problem. I would suggest that school administrators or maybe even this newspaper explain the reason the National Anthem is played before sporting events. Lets continue the education process, stop this unnecessary and mean spirited characterizations of our young people. We need to hold the right folks accountable for their own actions, stop looking for reasons to blame someone else. Speaking of accountability, why didn't we get a picture of the entire gym? Was everyone standing on the visitors side of the gym? Probably not. We deserve responsible journalism. Maybe the intent of this picture is to get everyone to stand during the National Anthem, or maybe this was another example of irresponsible journalism, meant to further demean a school that has had it's share of turmoil… Gotta sell those papers!!   Finally, I participated in a war, my dad fought in one!    That freedom of expression is what he fought for! Thanks Pops!!
Dave Bowman
(Editor's Note: Thank you for your service to America. The intent of the photo was part of a vast right wing conspiracy to breed patriotism and to show respect for the National Anthem. The truth of the matter is that Great Mills High School could be a fine school once the lawless students who fight and sell drugs are removed from the school and allow the 95 percent who are there to learn, study and thrive. Don't be a pinhead. Photos are worth a thousand words simply because they are a picture of our world, whether you like it or not, and the viewer can assign any silly interpretation they choose. One did not need to buy a paper to see the photos, they were posted here on our online edition free of charge.)

Reader Feedback:
According to U.S. law http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode36/usc_sec_36_00000301---000-.html> , a civilian is supposed to stand up when the anthem is played, take off his hat, face the flag, and put his right hand over his heart. When in uniform, members of the military can keep their hats on and salute instead of placing their hands on their hearts.*
<http://www.slate.com/id/2177887/?GT1=10636>
The rules of conduct regarding the anthem, the pledge, and the American flag weren't always a matter of law. At first, they were just tradition. "The Star-Spangled Banner" lyrics were originally written during the War of 1812. Later in the 19th century, the Army and Navy both began to use
it during ceremonies <http://americanhistory.si.edu/SSB/6_thestory/6b_osay/fs6b.html> , but
it only became the congressionally recognized national anthem in 1931.
Meanwhile, the Pledge of Allegiance was first used in public schools in 1892 <http://www.usflag.org/history/pledgeofallegiance.html> to celebrate Columbus Day and only made it into the law books in the 1940s.
Tammy Richardson

Reader Feedback:
Mike Tordie, you have got to be the stupidest retard of them all. If the Govt. gave these people free handouts what would be their motivation to go get a job. They wouldn’t have one. These kids live in poverty because their parents figured that living on welfare and getting food stamps was good enough while they drive around in their Escalades with 26 inch rims. Don’t blame the Govt. that has given you the right to live in this great country. I despise you and everything you wrote. I know what it is, you must be a parent of one of these kids. Or maybe trying to get on their good side? Sick bastard.
Dave Brown

Reader Feedback:
I’m so tired of hearing how great mills high school students are so ignorant. My father was in the military and I’ve moved around a bit… I lived in oak harbor, wa and before that I lived in Ladson, sc. I attended gmhs and graduated in ’06. You know it’s not only students at great mills that don’t stand for the pledge. This has happened at all the schools I’ve attended. So I know its happening at other schools also. So I don’t see how people can sit there and target great mills; get the F*** over yourselves and realize that this is a nation wide problem and not just a problem with great mills students. Yeah great mills has a bad rep. but what can you do about gossip. I’m just tired of looking at this site an seeing great mills on it with nothing nice to say about the staff or students. Like there aren’t any other schools in the county to talk about. Where are the pictures of the LaPlata side? I don’t see any of them posted on this site… but I bet if there where there would be students from that school sitting during the pledge? But of course great mills is the only ones being targeted just because we have a bad rep.
Kristie Sorenson

Reader Feedback:
I truly believe that all should stand for the national anthem. By not doing this it is total disrespect for those members of our armed forces that have fought and died so that these young people can do what they are allowed to do. These are the same students that do not stand for the pledge in school. Someone said in another post that respect is to be earned. Well that flag and song have been around a lot longer than any of us and I believe that our forefathers are rolling over in their grave from the lack of respect that these hoods have shown. My thing is if they do not want to stand and respect our country then they can just get the hell out and never come back. My family has fought in just about every war that this country has been involve in and I am sure they will be involved in many more. I am myself angered by the ignorance shown by these young people, if that was my son or daughter pictured I would be highly upset with them. I guess that these kids have not been taught what respect is.
These young people have no respect for anything , anyone and even themselves. They are totally disrespecting everyone who has fought , died or been wounded for this country. Why don't we give them a one way ticket to Russia and see how they like it there. There they do not have the government paying their way they would actually have to get off their ass and do something instead of being a burden on society. I believe if you don't like our country get the hell out and don't come back.
Bill D.

Reader Feedback:

I think this is bogus! Great Mills students are nothing of that sort! They're NOT dumb and i think that the comment is saying that ALL Great Mills students are DUMB! They should be standing for the pledge, but they're NOT and no one kan make them! And that also dosen't make them DUMB ! Half of them that are sitting don't even attend Great Mills! I've also been to millions of games where students have sat during the National Anthem but i don't see them in the photo though so i think this is all just another dumb reason for someone to try and make Great Mills look bad. GET OVER YOURSELVES!

-Krystal Duffy

Reader Feedback:
Im a great mills high school student to an you are Wrongg you retards dont6 no waht you are talkin bout gmks is a good school yall dont look at us in the right wasys
Ashley Barrett
Reader Feedback:
you have no clue what ur talkiin bout i am a gmhs student and you are way wrong you dont no waht u are talkin bout not everybody is lyk tha
Heather Baugher
(Editor's Note: These three students are not success stories of Great Mills High School, as per their ability to use the English language to express themselves; their teachers ought to be fired if they gave them passing grades.)
Reader Feedback:
Should students be required to stand for the National Anthem? It's their choice. I was always taught respect is earned and not given. If you think about were these kids live and what conditions the live in its fairly obvious why they wouldn't have respect for a country which allows them to live in poverty and amongst the worse crime in the county. To me the system has failed them and their action by showing disrespect towards the National Anthem is one of the only voices they feel they have. These are kids and should be considered ignorant until taught otherwise. Otherwise, meaning you have other ways of having your voice heard. Ultimately their actions are an up yours to the system so to speak. The people who aren't ignorant in this situation are the adults and administrators in the schools. They allowed them to sit. If the anthem is required and it is required everyone stand. You follow directions of leave the arena. I think you'll find the Star Spangled Banner isn't needed at all. More on that later though.
Most of the comments thus far deplored the kids and there parents for a lack of respect and good upbringing. But we should not be focusing on the "who" is wrong in this situation and instead of the "what". Start at the beginning. What relevance does the Star Spangled Banner have at a sporting event? Is this battle anthem supposed to represent the battle on the sports field similar to what Key witnessed to write the song? Does a sporting event have some kind relevance for me to be more patriotic then during any other event? The Star Spangled Banner wasn't used in sporting events prior to WWII. What did we do then? This is more of a tradition then having any relevant meaning to a sporting event in high school I believe. I wish I could say this is why the kids are not standing. (It would be a reason for me not too though) It isn't logical to do this anymore or in the first place really. When this was instituted it was during the days were a lot of things were done just because and more importantly a time were you could be jailed for being a communist. What better way to show you are not a communist amongst your peers then at a sporting event singing the Star Spangled Banner? There should be a meaning behind it today and I not sure what meaning it has today to play the Star Spangled Banner at a sporting event. We aren't being jailed for being communist anymore. I hope anyway.
It's obvious to me these kids aren't standing not because it isn't logical but instead as an up yours to the system. A "system" of administrators that won't do anything about it and a system of local officials allowing them to fail at home as they walk out the door in their crime ridden neighborhoods with drugs and prostitution. We can't expect every parent who subjects their kids to this environment to be responsible enough to teach there kids respect because in essence they are disrespecting them everyday. The administrators can teach respect however by telling them to leave for not standing. Granted this isn't logical because we shouldn't be singing it in the first place. But if a school believes in something it should enforce it on everyone or you leave. If this is handled appropriately I think you'll find the singing isn't needed anymore, therefore the photographer can take pictures of the game which he was originally there for, a happy story of kids playing in a basketball game.
It's always amazing to me when we preach how in America we have all these freedoms, but whenever someone breaks a societal norm they are hounded for it. I have a choice, why aren't you respecting my choice not to stand? Why hound me for what you see instead of asking me why I'm not standing? If the reason is weak then use it as an opportunity to educate. If the reason has some merits then also teach a way to use your voice to enact change. Disrespecting a norm of society isn't a way to get your voice heard in my opinion but I am an adult and not a child.
There is more to this then name calling. Research it then come to an informed opinion. I truly believe this will not be posted with your other comments because there isn't any name calling or controversy in my response. Instead it's an educated opinion on a societal norm everyone else responded to out of emotion.
Mike Tordie

Reader Feedback:
Standing and placing your hand on your heart during the National Anthem shows true honor and respect for America. Having served 24 proud years of my life in the military, I would surrender my life for these very uneducated kids that don't respect their flag and country. My eyes still water when I stand and think of all the brave men and women who have sacrificed their life for God and country.

Fred Ettner

Reader Feedback:
Yes, everyone should be required to stand for the National Anthem. If you're going to be living in the USA, please show some respect. I know that is hard for these kids today to show respect or even to know what respect is. If they are not taught at home and also not taught by the schools, then they will never learn how to respect anything or anyone, including themselves. The values that my generation was brought up on seems to not mean anything to these kids of today. Learning should start at home and be reinforced by the schools. There are also a couple other things that needs to be addressed with the youth of today. One is common sense, the other one is manners.
S. E. Sydnor

Reader Feedback:
I believe in standing for what This country was founded on we have come too far and lost to many lives to show this kind of disrespect for this great country. Maybe the parents will see as well as the students and put them straight. Each and everyone that stayed sitting read your history and see what happened to those that chose to do as you have. Maybe you will think about how you want your kids to act when they are the age you are now.
Sandy Spence

Reader Feedback:
You can stop picking on Great Mills. You can see the same scene at all the high schools and middle schools throughout the County. Require the students to stand or recite the Pledge....forget it. Schools do not even enforce the dress code. Nor do teachers hear the profanities in the halls as students pass between classes. Education systems nationwide are "closed societies" with the public having little or no idea what goes on inside. If parents only knew!
Joan Ritchie
Reader Feedback:
I do believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem. There should be no excuse why they don't stand. I am a senior at Great Mills High School and I do not like when we are all called punks and heathens and all that. Not everyone is considered that. We look like the worst school but really we are not. I just wanted to share my opinion with whom ever is going to read this. We are not all punks and heathens that's why I don't like seeing our school on St. Marys Today and no one else's school on there just ours. Our school can be bad at times but we are working on keeping it as a safe environment as possible.
Brittian Currie

Reader Feedback:
Every one of these kids that are not standing up are bastard pieces of s---. The gangster with the red hat makes me sick. People can blame it on the parents or the govt, but who doesn't know to stand up when the Star Spangled Banner is playing? It’s the laziness of the kids. They are more worried about selling their bag of dope or scamming the next girl out of giving it up. They don’t care about this country, its history, or its military. Bring back the draft. Make all these bastards see what its like to be shot at or see your best friend die in front of their eyes. They all need a good old fashioned ass whooping.
Dave Brown

Reader Feedback:
What is wrong with these kids….They evidently have no respect for our country, or probably no respect for themselves or understand what it stands for!!!!! "Their Freedom".
Mary Unkle

Reader Feedback:
I believe everybody should stand for the Star Spangled Banner. I think the individuals in the picture that are not standing do it out of ignorance. A fellow co-worker pointed out to me that some of them that were there to see the game were not GMHS students. It all boils down to their upbringing. I was brought up to respect our flag and our country. I raise my kids to be respectful of and to show appreciation for our flag and country. The people in the picture have a lack of respect for what the flag represents, and probably have a lack of respect for everything else. I would also like to point out that the individual that took the picture was also showing a lack of respect to our flag. We can only control ourselves and what we do. Why was the camera person not paying attention to the Star Spangled Banner?
Derek J. Lee
(Editor's Note: The photographer was standing, and taking photos, which is his job, and like press photographers at all public events, records those who hold their hands over their hearts, take off their hats and sing the national anthem. If he had not done his job of taking photos, these students would have gotten away with this group act of impunity towards our nation. Our photographer is a veteran and like those readers who have responded, is furious over the lack of respect shown by the spectators at the game, regardless of what school they attend, they are simply morons.)

Reader Feedback:
I totally agree with Mr. Werring. This is a bigger issue then you think. You just happen to see it at Great Mills. Go to every sporting event in our area you will see the same problem. Yes, it starts at home. It goes with showing respect to our country and our flag. Respectfully,
Rick Brasko

Reader Feedback:
Tell the young'ins to ALL stand before the Anthem starts playing. Once they ALL are on their feet with their hats in their hands the Anthem will start. Also tell them the game won't start until after the Anthem plays. Peer pressure will get to them.
Mark Webster

Reader Feedback:
Respect? hell ! It all starts at home !!!   No respect for anyone or anything !!!  I grew up in a family of marines !!!  Stand up salute, hats off ! Eyes toward the flag !! I don’t know of the kids today !! Semper fi !!
Bob Maletto
Reader Feedback:
With out a doubt YES, We are supposed to be taught right from wrong with the respect of others and so on by our parents. Then we teach our children, well maybe they were not taught by theirs or the more likely could care less, too cool for that, peer pressure, what ever. I really don’t care. If they don’t stand say goodbye to the game/event at hand and maybe they will get the point along with their parents and the community. Its never too late to learn about honor and respect.
Sonny

Reader Feedback:
No, they need not stand for the national anthem. They have the freedom of choice. But if they decide not to respect this country, they should also never apply for government aid for college, apply for enlistment in the military, collect government welfare, food stamps, or any other type of government aid. If you're going to be disrespectful, don't ask for handouts later.
K. Birchler

Reader Feedback:
If anyone in this country cannot pause from their lives and stand with their hand over their heart for our national anthem; then ship them off to the Middle East. Let us see how they like having no freedoms at all.
Both students and county school officials should be ashamed for condoning such callous behavior. These are our future leaders?
This particular incident unfortunately reflects how liberal and non-effective our schools have become in teaching students how to be accountable and worthy citizens. America has become a self serving, non-motivated cesspool of pathetic humanity.
God help us!
George Steinback, 3^rd

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This is one of the reasons they have a bad reputation.
Kim

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If these young punks don't want to respect our national anthem-send them to IRAQ and let them explain to the troops WHY!
Joseph Williard

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Unequivocally yes, yes, yes... students, adults...everyone should stand at schools and any  event where the National Anthem is played, unless ,of course, they are not physically able.
Liz Garcia

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Damn Right: Maybe a tour of Walter Reed or a swift kick by the Faculty would straighten out these wayward youths who seem to be too cool to show some respect
Jeffrey Schaefer

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Hell yes
James E. Carnes

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I see the reason.
Chevy

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Students should be required to stand during the National Anthem. These students who failed to stand show a lack of respect to all those who fight for our freedoms. They exhibit laziness, selfishness and no class. Many of the young people today don't understand how truly blessed we are to live in this country. I appreciate St. Mary's Today for bringing this to the forefront. Hopefully these ignorant students will see themselves and be embarrassed. Probably not though.
Vagas Corson

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Any and Every American should stand for the National Anthem!
Claudia Uncle

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Unless I was mistaken, there is a war still going on. All people who call themselves Americans should stand for the star-spangled banner and pay the correct respect to the Flag and what it stands for. Until we bring back the draft, these punks will disrespect the Flag and this country by not taking a few minutes out of their day to pay respect and honor those fallen to defend this great country and to give them the freedom to watch their basketball games-
An angry vet-- Matt Norvell

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Should students be required to stand? Yes. Should they be required to take off their stupid red hats? Also a resounding yes. And the question shouldn't just be about students, it should be about any AMERICAN who has the rights and freedoms to do what they wish in this country. This picture made me really mad and I find it completely offensive. My fear is that their parents don't stand for the National Anthem either, so where are they supposed to learn?
Kate Reed

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Of course the students should stand for the National Anthem with hands over hearts would be good also. It shows appreciation and respect not only for our country but our community and ourselves.
W. Murrow

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Students should stand....something else you are talking about today. People pulling into traffic on Rt 235. I personally have had several people pull out in front of me going up and down Rt 235. I'm not sure WHY they do this, maybe they think we will change lanes, slow down…what? I have had nearly 3 accidents had I not been watching for these idiots as I approach an intersection. One person pulled out in front of me at that same intersection as the bus accident and had I not changed lanes in the split second they pulled out, I would of slammed right into the back of them and had someone been in the other lane, who knows what would of happened. People in S. MD (and I dare say it just isn't S. MD) are idiotic careless drivers. I could go on and on about how they drive around here, but I already get my head in a spin just trying to drive to and from work each day, let alone if I go somewhere on the weekends.
Vicki Capstaff

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Yes and they should remove their head gear and place their hand over their heart. It is the parents fault for not teaching them and the school system/government for not requiring them to say the pledge of allegiance every morning at school as we did when we were kids. Thanks
Brian Werring