FIRST ON FOX: Bestselling author Jack Carr, who served the nation for 20 years as a Navy SEAL sniper and military leader, learned of an unusual story during his most recent book tour — and shared the details exclusively with Fox News Digital.He was speaking in Franklin, Tennessee, in mid-May to a crowd of people about his new novel, "The Fourth Option," when a high school teacher approached him afterward to relay an anecdote. More than half the students in the Mississippi teacher's class, the educator told Carr, were remaining seated during the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. Dismayed by that, the substitute teacher, Kelly McGinnis, of Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood, Mississippi, said that when he asked his students why they weren't standing for the pledge, many struggled to explain their actions. POPULAR SNACK FOOD GETS PATRIOTIC MAKEOVER IN TIME FOR AMERICA'S 250TH SUMMER FESTIVITIES"Very few would speak up," McGinnis told Fox News Digital. "Quite a few said their parents had served [in the military], and they had [other] family members who had served, but they just felt like the way the country was at this time — they didn't agree with some of the politics and policies," he added. Bestselling author Jack Carr, left, is shown with teacher Kelly McGinnis of Mississippi.
Carr learned about the teacher’s unusual experience during a recent book tour stop in Tennessee, where McGinnis shared his story with the author. (Jack Carr)McGinnis said he decided to start conversations with his students. As part of those talks, he introduced them to books by Carr, the former Navy SEAL whose popular thrillers include deeply embedded themes of service, sacrifice and patriotism woven through the narrative storylines. McGinnis said he was drawn to Carr's work for those reasons.USHA VANCE BACKS BOOKS OVER PHONES AS MORE SCHOOLS IMPLEMENT NO-CELL POLICIES"It seemed like his message was one of patriotism and the sacrifices that people, not only in the milit...