Alhambra High School To Begin Each Morning With Pledge Of Allegiance

Martinez Patch received this email from Alhambra High School principal Nermin Kamel:

"As I prepared my Veteran's Day message on Monday a package arrived in the office.   Inside the package was the following letter:

'I hope this letter and frame finds you well in that the contents made it to you in one piece!  My name is Chief Master At Arms, Luis Arellano, US Navy.  I’m currently deployed as a Security Liaison/LNO to the US Embassy in KabulAfghanistan.  My son, goes to your school and I wanted to dedicate this US/Afghanistan flag with coins and certificate to all the teachers at Alhambra High School, as a symbol of gratitude for educating those children whose families or loved ones are currently deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

I thank you very much for all the educational support you have provided to my son, as I know he understands that my deployments are not forever yet they are distant.  So I thank you for all you do back home for those parents like me in supporting the war effort while being deployed.  Hoorah!

Sincerely,
S.M. Luis Arellano, USN
ECCI-Security Operations
CampEgger
APOAE 0935


"Enclosed with the letter was a picture of Chief Master at Arms Luis A. Arellano in front of the memorial and a framed flag, pins and coin with the note, “Flag flown over Kabul, Afghanistan during "Operation Enduring Freedom" on 11th September 2011 in answering the call of the American and Coalition forces to protect those who cannot protect themselves and to stand strong and defeat all who attempt to bring them harm for those that believe in Freedom."

"I read this letter and inscription to the school this morning over the PA and then the school joined me in the Pledge of Allegiance.  
 
"In accordance with Education Code 52720 which requires every public secondary school to conduct a daily patriotic exercise and Board Policy AR 6115 which requires that this patriotic exercise be the daily reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance, Alhambra High School will begin a daily observance of the pledge each morning during morning announcements.  We recognize that the choice to say all, some or part of the pledge is a personal one and respect each student's individual choice to either participate or respectfully abstain as long as they do not disrupt any other individuals ability to say the pledge.  We encourage you to take this opportunity to discuss with your student the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance.
 
As we begin this Veteran's Day weekend may we all remember the profound debt we owe to men and women who have bravely served our nation and to their families.  May the world soon know peace and may we all always remember the sacrifices they have made."