California school board requires national anthem be performed at all home sports games

The “Star-Spangled Banner” is here to stay at all sporting games hosted at Temecula Valley schools.

School board members voted 5-0 Tuesday night, Aug. 18, to add language to its on ceremonies and observances to require that the U.S. national anthem be played or performed “prior to the start of each home junior varsity and varsity interscholastic athletic contest” at Temecula Valley Unified School District campuses, according to the policy.

The rule affirms the school district’s and board’s “commitment to patriotism, respect for our nation’s traditions, sportsmanship and school pride by establishing a consistent patriotic observance.”

The policy requires that the anthem be performed live, or that a “respectful and appropriate” recorded version is played. It also notes that participation is “voluntary,” and that no one should be compelled to sing, stand, salute, place a hand over the heart or otherwise participate.

No disciplinary action will be taken against someone who chooses not to participate, provided that they don’t “materially disrupt the event or interfere with the rights of others,” the policy states.

The CIF-Southern Section requires the anthem before every official CIF-SS playoff or championship game, but has no jurisdiction over regular season games, whose policies are determined by schools and school districts, Assistant Commissioner Thom Simmons said.

California Education Code section 52720 requires “daily patriotic exercises” in public schools, but does not address interscholastic athletic games. The code states that school district governing boards are responsible for interscholastic athletic policies and programs within their districts.

Temecula Valley board member Melinda Anderson, who made the proposal, said a community member wanted the national anthem to be played at every home game and approached her.

“I think we play the national anthem a majority of the time,” Anderson said. “Sometimes it’s been missed. I don’t think it’s being missed on purpose or out of disrespect. So I told the community member that I support this and I would put it on the agenda.”

Trustee Jen Wiersma said the district should prioritize the “right thing for the collective, no matter what might go on the other side.”

“If the anthem is going to be prioritized at TVUSD, and there’s kind of a resistance, that’s on them,” Wiersma said. “I think so many people appreciate it. We’re in the 250th anniversary of the country. I think a lot of us feel the same, so I think this is a great idea.”

Temecula Valley parent Upneet Dhaliwal said she liked “the fanfare before sporting events,” though it was a great idea the district should adopt, and that if a school band wants to play the anthem, it should.

She brought up past movements when professional athletes took a knee during the “Star-Spangled Banner” at games to protest racial inequality and police brutality.

“In 2016, we did see a lot of issues (with) people taking a knee at the game, right at the beginning … because you cannot discipline the students, you cannot do anything about it, and it will lead to problems that we do not have right now,” Dhaliwal added, saying that students possibly taking the knee “actually disrespects the anthem, rather than propogate patriotism.”

She said she “doesn’t feel too strongly” about the policy either way, but encouraged board members to think about the patriotic aspect of it.