Protesting Is Uncomfortable. Should It Be Easier?

To protest, or not to protest? This week on Ask Code Switch, we're digging into a question from Shawn, an African-American high school student in South Florida, who wonders how best to take a stand against injustice:

Hello Code Switch Crew,

I'm a left-leaning person and very much politically conscious. Whenever the pledge of allegiance comes on for school, I often feel like taking a knee/or simply not standing as my own small act of protest. This is however, not possible in most classes, as it is viewed as disrespectful by most teachers or too politically tinged for school. This is at a predominantly black school, mind you. Also, most teachers characterize my refusal