The Political Inquirer

State coercion at its best. This Quaker teacher was fired for changing her oath she took in the California school system.

Each time, when asked to “swear (or affirm)” that she would “support and defend” the U.S. and state Constitutions “against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” Kearney-Brown inserted revisions: She wrote “nonviolently” in front of the word “support,” crossed out “swear,” and circled “affirm.” All were to conform with her Quaker beliefs, she said.

The school districts always accepted her modifications, Kearney-Brown said.

But Cal State East Bay wouldn’t, and she was fired on Thursday.

Swearing allegiance to the decisions of the State in order to work for it. If you don’t conform, you lose your job.

Violent defense of the Constitution may be required in the future–if the Soviets had ever invaded America (impossible as though it was), I would justify violent defense against the Soviet invaders. Many Quakers, though, would not. This was a problem for some Quakers during the American Revolution; their beliefs required them to sit it out (though not all Quakers did).