Final answer:
Characters in the novel “Brown Girl Dreaming” may not say the Pledge of Allegiance as a form of protest or due to feelings of disenfranchisement, reflecting a broader social issue where the ideals of liberty and equality are perceived as not fully realized, similar to historical and current educational challenges concerning racial inequality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The novel “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson doesn't specifically mention girls not saying the Pledge of Allegiance, but the question seems to imply a broader inquiry into resistance or non-participation in patriotic acts. Sometimes in literature and real-world scenarios, characters or individuals may choose not to partake in such acts as a form of protest or due to disenfranchisement. A possible reason in a narrative context like “Brown Girl Dreaming” could be a sense that the ideals of liberty and equality are not actualized for all groups in the country, specifically concerning issues around racial inequality, which could parallel real historical educational challenges and social struggles.
In relation to the Southern Poverty Law Center's findings about the inadequate coverage of slavery and superficial treatment of difficult historical subjects in textbooks, students in a novel could potentially refuse to say the Pledge as an act of resistance – to argue that they do not see the values of liberty and equality truly represented in their lived experience. While not mentioned in the facts provided, a fictional decision not to participate in the Pledge could also be informed by similar scenarios, like the one involving the Burleson High School students with Confederate flags, where symbols and acts of patriotism might be seen as representing ideals that are not universally experienced or upheld.