The B&R Tuesday Skim

The rally was a big success! Even the liberal Phila Inquirer was unable to spin it differently.

Samantha Pawlucy returned to school this morning, following a rally in her support, days after she received a highly publicized classroom dressing down for wearing a Romney/Ryan T-shirt.

The demonstration began outside Port Richmond’s Charles Carroll High about 7:45 a.m. with the singing of the national anthem. Pawlucy then took part in the reading of the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence and the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Shouts of “Go, Sam!” and “You’re great, Sam!” followed a group recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

With no speeches prolonging the event, about 8 a.m. she went inside. Police helped keep the sidewalks clear as students continued to arrive.

Most of the two dozen or so dozen participants were veterans, judging from their military decorations and signs, such as “I’m a veteran and Samantha is my hero.”

Tom Manns, 74, of Olney, said before the rally, “We should stand up for our rights, and she has a perfect right to wear the shirt.”

Samantha’s mother, Kristine Pawlucy, said to a reporter, “It’s overwhelming. I’m just trying to take it all in. . . . A lot of great people in the community – the whole country – have shown a lot of support and I think that’s really helped.”

Lewis Harris Jr. said his four grandchildren took part in reading the First Amendment with Samantha to show that African Americans also support her right to free speech. Harris, a GOP ward leader, is also chairman of the Philadelphia Republicans of Color.

The rally was intended to be politically neutral, said one of the organizers, Kevin Kelly, cofounder of Philadelphia’s “Loyal Opposition” Republican faction. Politicians were invited, but weren’t allowed to use the event for political purposes, Kelly said.

Among the officials seen were State Rep. John Taylor, Councilman Mark Squilla and School District Superintendent William Hite.

An invitation for the rally posted on state representative candidate Dave Kralle’s website described the event as “a show of support and patriotism for Samantha.”

“Please bring American flags as we will be loudly reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. We have been told there isn’t a single American flag at the school and the Pledge is NEVER recited,” the announcement read.

Pawlucy had not been in school since the middle of last week, when the news of the confrontation with her geometry teacher went viral.

Pawlucy wore a pink Romney/Ryan T-shirt on a “dress down” day Sept. 28. In her geometry class, teacher Lynette Gaymon pointed out the shirt, questioning her decision to wear it and telling her to leave the classroom. The teacher also drew parallels between wearing a Romney T-shirt in a “Democratic” school and Gaymon, who is black, wearing a “KKK” shirt without understanding its meaning.

Since making headlines, the situation has led to harassment of both student and teacher, with students shouting obscenities at the Pawlucys on Friday. The same day, Gaymon’s aunts said, they began receiving harassing phone calls, including one death threat.

Mayor Nutter intervened Sunday afternoon, visiting both families. The families declined to discuss details of the visits, and Nutter declined to comment when reached by phone Sunday. He was not present during the morning rally.

Hite released a statement Monday calling the situation a “teachable moment. Hite will work with Nutter and Philadelphia Federation of Teachers president Jerry Jordan to move “towards a conversation that brings together diverse beliefs, inspires understanding, and heals.”