A Florida student aged just 11 has been arrested after refusing to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, calling it racist to black people and then allegedly threatening his teacher.

The schoolboy was kicked out of class Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland after refusing to stand, Bay News 9 reports.

He was arrested by the school resource officer and taken to a juvenile detention center after allegedly refusing to follow multiple commands.

According to the arrest affidavit he also repeatedly called school leaders racist and threatened to get staff fired.

The report says the boy, who doesn't normally stand for the pledge, said: 'I'm going to beat that teacher. I'm going to get all of you fired.' He denies threatening to beat the teacher. The boy was charged with disrupting a school function and resisting arrest without violence. The sixth grader was also suspended for three days.

A school district spokeswoman said students do not have to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance and children can opt out with written permission, but the substitute teacher wasn't aware of this.

It is understood the substitute will no longer work at any of the district's schools.

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