An 8-year-old’s Pledge of Allegiance to the Earth

Aug 28, 2026

An 8-year-old, Jonah, challenges a school pledge after a teacher raises a concern he is not reciting it. Guided by his values, Jonah and his teacher craft a new pledge centered on the Earth, leading the class to vote and adopt a broader morning recitation. The story connects his actions to Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to honor rituals he views as misaligned, culminating in Jonah’s letter and an Earth pledge promoting moral courage and wider loyalty.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time2 min

AccessFree to download

Jonah’s request and the class vote

A new pledge honoring Earth

Connection to Colin Kaepernick

The letter and Earth flag

Moral reflection and guidance

The final Earth pledge

An 8-year-old’s Pledge of Allegiance to the Earth By: Ari Nessel Last school year, my wife Rebecca received an email from my 8-year-old son, Jonah's, teacher that he wasn't doing the pledge of allegiance. Jonah, it seems, asked his teacher if he could speak with him about it. Jonah told him he preferred pledging his allegiance to the earth (note: he did all of this without our knowledge) . So, he and his teacher came up with a different pledge that would honor his values and beliefs. The conversation was brought up in the class to discuss the next day. The class then hada vote as to which pledge resonated with them most. Two thirds of the class preferred to also change their morning recitation to this more all-encompassing new pledge. As many people now know, 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is similarly being true to himself by sitting down while the United States national anthem is played, a ritual he doesn’t believe honors his values. I told Jonah about what was going on and all of the negative publicity and threats Colin is receiving. In response, he wrote this letter to Mr. Kaeperick and included an earth flag to go along with it (thank you Pancho!) . In case you cannot read what he wrote (his handwriting takes after mine) : “Dear Colin Kaepernick, you are my idol. I love that you are vegan. My name is Jonah and I am 9 years old. In my letter is a world flag. I hope you like it. P. S. Can I have an autograph? Your biggest fan, Jonah Nessel. P. S. I sat down in my class and now we have a world flag we pledge allegiance to instead.” What is right frequently isn’t popular and what is popular frequently isn’t right. Seeking to follow what is just, moral or righteous, rather than follow the status quo, is a prerequisite for societal and moral progress. Both Jonah and Colin chose to question the rituals that have been unquestioningly passed on to them and instead speak truth to power. Maybe we can replace our preoccupation with patriotism with a broader loyalty. With that, I look to Jonah’s class pledge of allegiance as guidance: "I pledge allegiance to the Earth and all the life which it supports. One planet, in our care, irreplaceable, with sustenance and respect for all.” Ari Nessel is a father of two young boys and a member of the Cubs Community. We would love to feature similar inspirational stories of parents and/or children from this community who are living their values, whether it’s a story of kindness, gratitude, generosity, service, compassion, empathy, etc. If you have any recent experiences from your family life that you feel moved to share, please contact the editors team--we ’d love to hear from you!

FAQs

Why does Jonah stop reciting the original pledge?

Jonah asks his teacher about it and explains he prefers pledging allegiance to the earth rather than the existing pledge.

How does the class decide on the new pledge?

Jonah and his teacher propose a revised pledge, and the class votes the next day; two thirds prefer adopting the new pledge and changing the morning recitation.

What does Jonah write to Colin Kaepernick?

Jonah addresses Colin as his idol, mentions that he is vegan as part of his admiration, and shares that he sent a world/earth flag and asks for an autograph.

What message does the author draw from Jonah and Kaepernick’s choices?

The author argues that questioning inherited rituals and speaking truth to power is necessary for moral and societal progress, encouraging loyalty that is broader than patriotism.

Aug 28, 2026

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