BRISTOL — A proposal at Mount Abraham Union Middle/High School to start each day or each week with the National Anthem has failed to win approval from the school’s Community Council.

A petition to make the “The Star-Spangled Banner” part of the school’s routine had been submitted to the Community Council in the spring of 2021 by Mount Abe U.S. Government teacher Al Zaccor and 13 other faculty members.

Soon afterward, a counter-petition was launched in the community, urging the council to reject the proposal, citing the tune’s white supremacist lyrics.

The Mount Abe Community Council, which consists of student, faculty, community and school board representatives, considered the issue for a number of months, but was not able to make a decision before school let out in June.

Last month a student member of the council, Hannah Gallivan, informed the Mount Abraham Unified School District board that the council had recently voted down the proposal.