Like zombies, everybody obeys the orders delivered by the little white box on the wall for their daily dose of patriotism. I can't say I've ever seen anyone sing along, I've never seen a tear roll down someone's cheek, I simply see apathetic students following their routine.

The 1999/2000 Education Statutes and Regulations of Ontario under Operation of Schools-General, in regulation 298, states among other things, that "(1) Every public elementary and secondary school shall hold opening or closing exercises," and "(2) Opening or closing exercises shall include O Canada and may include God Save The Queen." Asked if the school was just following orders, or if there was a philosophy behind the morning ritual, Jarvis principal Ms. McKenzie explained that. "It's in the education act…it's what determines what we do in school. It's the law." She also points out that "it is the responsibility of the students to follow the rules," and that "It is the responsibility of school staff to reflect accepted behavior of our society."

The head of the history department, Mr. Keenan, explained that "We who live in Canada have been privileged to live in Canada, largely by luck rather than deserving, so to periodically stop and recognize the nation that has given us all we have is a good idea, to recognize how lucky we are." Sure, Canada is one of the best places in the world to live in, but in a world plagued by war, environmental destruction and oppression, that's not a huge accomplishment.

The things we are so lucky to supposedly have are freedom and democracy. There's no democracy in the morning's national anthem; it's part of the opening exercises because the provincial government made that law (to ensure respect for the state), not because the students chose to have it. That, of course, would be democracy, which would subvert both the national and educational power structure. As for freedom, is that not the right to determine your own actions, including dissenting? That's not what grade nine student Amanda Fitzgerald discovered. To her, O Canada is "a blatant symbol of nationalism." She sees Canada "as a piece of land." She doesn't see why students should stand up. "They say it represents all of us, but I'm not a Christian male or nationalist, so it doesn't represent me." Yet what happens when she dares to be free and stand up for her beliefs by not standing? "My teacher will yell at me. I offer to stand in the hall, but my teachers just say I don't have a choice." According to Ms. McKenzie, however, Amanda was given the option of standing in the hall after discussions with her parents. Amanda was also offered the "privilege" of sitting in the Vice-Principals' office during the playing of the anthem.

A teacher has no right, except that given to them by the education regulations, to force students to do things against their will. Students may not believe in the anthem, whether because they see it as mindless nationalism used as a propaganda tool to keep citizens unquestioningly supportive of their government's actions, because they think it celebrates the "theft of land" from its aboriginal habitants, because they feel that the anthem doesn't represent them or because they simply don't want to be ordered around, and they are absolutely entitled to act upon their beliefs. As long as they're not hurting anyone, they should be able to express themselves through their own actions, and that means the freedom to choose if they want to stand for O Canada. Because the government, the administration, and some students experience deep feelings of patriotism, does that give them the right to impose their views on others?

It isn't entirely the school's fault that the national anthem is played every morning; while it could be a bit more progressive and show some backbone in dealing with provincial regulations, it is dependent on the government for funding. That makes it a far bigger issue that has to be directed towards the school board and the provincial government. However, Jarvis teachers are at fault for making students participate in exercises they don't believe in.

Luckily, there is a way out within the school system. Section 5 of regulation 298 states that: "No pupil enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school shall be required to take part in any opening or closing exercises where a parent or guardian of the pupil or the pupil, where the pupil is an adult, applies to the principal of the school that the pupil attend for exemption therefrom." While this section was included primarily because of religious considerations, Mrs. McKenzie says that, "If a student has some personal beliefs which conflict with the opening exercise, I'm always happy to receive a letter from that student and talk to them." Those who are truly committed to freedom and democracy have that option.