Pledge Allegiance to a painted flag?

[teacher]

Our elementary school's live morning news broadcast includes the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. In order to solve a space / camera manipulation problem, we are considering have an artist paint a flag as the news desk background (on the wall behind the newscasters). When it's time for the pledge, the 2 anchors will stand off camera and the flag will be on the camera for the school to view as they say the pledge. But it occurred to us that that may be in "violation" of flag etiquette? Classrooms do have flags in them, should that make any difference. Thanks for your help.

[NAVA1974]

Our elementary school's live morning news broadcast includes the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag. In order to solve a space / camera manipulation problem, we are considering have an artist paint a flag as the news desk background (on the wall behind the newscasters). When it's time for the pledge, the 2 anchors will stand off camera and the flag will be on the camera for the school to view as they say the pledge. But it occurred to us that that may be in "violation" of flag etiquette? Classrooms do have flags in them, should that make any difference. Thanks for your help.

#1: I think it would be a LOT less expensive to buy a flag and display it flat against the wall than it would be to have one painted.

#2: Why be concerned about whether the flag behind the news desk is real or painted, when the students would be looking at an electronic image anyway??

#3: The students should face the real flag in the classroom while the Pledge is being recited, even if an image of the flag is on the screen. The US Flag Code directs that one should face the flag during the pledge, not a TV screen with an image of the flag.

Nick A
Columbia Maryland

[teacher]

Thanks for your help, Nick A. The bottom line to the question is the "image" answer. So you're right, it doesn't matter. But just so you know, we can't put a real flag on the wall due to our city's strict fire code and the proximity to the door.

[NAVA1974]

Thanks for your help, Nick A. The bottom line to the question is the "image" answer. So you're right, it doesn't matter. But just so you know, we can't put a real flag on the wall due to our city's strict fire code and the proximity to the door.

Glad to help. If you want to add some historic interest to your Pledge of Allegiance broadcasts, you are welcome to borrow photos of antique American flags from my flickr.com site:

Chronology of Antique US Flags - a set on Flickr

Nick A