General Info > Historical Events and Current Issues

     This section of our website will be devoted to issues and events that affect the staff, students, parents, and community of the Pajaro Valley Unified School District. Our first entry is information about how the District responded to the tragic events of September 11, 2001, along with helpful information for teachers and parents about how to cope with traumatic events. 
    Next, as Veterans´ Day approaches, it gives us time to reflect on the reason we celebrate Veterans´ Day and to be reminded of  proper etiquette related to our national flag and patriotic activities.

     Here you will find information about the national disaster and our school district. We are certainly appalled by the situation facing our nation. We want to reconfirm to you that our commitment is to do all we can to keep our students, staff, and families safe and secure on the way to and from school and while at school.

     Below you will find information about patriotic activities at school, classroom flags, and flag history. A page on proper flag etiquette and a page on the pledge of allegiance are also available.

Patriotic Activities

Education Code 52720 and Board Policy 6115 require all schools to conduct patriotic exercises daily. The pledge of allegiance satisfies this requirement. Elementary schools are required to hold such exercises at the beginning of the day. Although patriotic exercises are required by California law, federal courts have held that individuals may not be compelled to salute the flag or to stand during the salute. (West Virginia State Board of Education et al v. Barnette et al, 319 U.S. 624, 1943).

Classroom Flags

Each classroom should have an American flag mounted in a holder. Flags may be ordered through the District warehouse. For proper flag etiquette please click here, and for a description of what the pledge of allegiance means please click here.

Flag History

The first American flag was sewn by Betsy Ross in 1776. This first flag had 13 stars sewn in a circle to demonstrate no one colony was above another.  The flag has 13 stripes alternating between red and white, also representing the 13 colonies. Today, we have 50 white stars representing each State of the Union.

The United States flag consists of two sections and three symbolic colors.
Blue Canton: Upper left corner stands for the Union.
50 Stars: Represents the fifty states
13 red and white stripes: Symbolizes the 13 original colonies.
Color Red: Stands for courage.
Color White: Represents purity.
Color Blue: Symbolizes loyalty, friendship, justice and truth.