On Tuesday, Oct. 13, the executive council of the Institutional Advisory Council at Hillsborough Community College voted to rescind the decision to no longer say the Pledge of Allegiance at IAC meetings.
The decision not to recite the pledge before meetings sparked backlash, but left one question unanswered: why was the decision made in the first place?
“It really was a question of consistency,” Ashley Carl, HCC spokeswoman, said. “Some councils said it, and some didn’t.”
The decision made by the IAC, a council that meets once a month, was exclusive to only those council meetings. Typically, the meetings draw between 40 to 60 attendees.
“I think people are only seeing portions of the larger conversation,” Carl said. “They have no rule making authority. It would not impact college authority.”
The initial decision, made Friday, Sept. 4, did not apply to any other HCC councils or any HCC students.
“I think it went off the rails a little bit,” Carl said. “It was a fairly benign thing that turned into something that was disappointing.”
HCC President Dr. Ken Atwater expressed his support of the rescinded vote.
“I am pleased that the executive council of the IAC recognized that this action did not represent the principles our community college values,” Atwater said in a statement released by HCC. “They resolved the issue in a swift and decisive manner and can now move forward with continuing to serve their campuses and this college in a positive manner.”
HCC has campuses in Brandon, Plant City, Dale Mabry, SouthShore and Ybor City.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.