First, it violates the first amendment, since it is certainly an American ideal to have the right to dissent. Not having the choice to recite, rather being forced to seems contrary to that right. Second, the religious references make me uncomfortable, and always have even since grade school since it did not reflect my beliefs.

Shouldn’t such a pledge be voluntary?

Being a European never understood your nationalism anyway. But stayed in the US for just little over 6 month. Too short to get it.

Eh, I?ve lived all my life and I still don?t entirely get it. I?m very proud of my country when we do and/or uphold nifty, progressive, generally nice things. However, I find it hard to get excited just by the concepts of America and flags and pledges and the like.

You’ve probably already answered this question in an earlier thread, but I haven’t been around much…. which European country are you from?

If it can be added it can be removed.

And it ought to be!!

I started substitute teaching this year at an elementary school. I have a 2 1/2 week assignment now and I’ve been SO busy, I’ve had very little time on this blog! AAARRRGGH! Darn work getting in the way of blogging!

I don’t want to recite the pledge, either, but am in a quandry. Should I sit down and set a “bad example” for the students? Or, go along with it and go against my conscience?

My son had a good suggestion, which I’ve been following: I stand during the pledge, I don’t put my hand over my heart, and I don’t say the pledge.

I don’t tell the students what to do during the pledge – I just don’t want them being disruptive. (I don’t EVER want them being disruptive in class.)

During the “Star-Spangled Banner” I put my hand over my heart and sing (badly!).

Even if the words “under God” were left out, I STILL wouldn’t like saying the pledge . . .

I pledge allegiance to the FLAG???

I’m sorry, but I DON’T pledge allegiance to a piece of cloth. I have allegiance to my country – mainly because I am not FORCED to swear allegiance.

Some people get themselves all worked up over SYMBOLS!!!!!

The flag is NOT our country. It is only a symbol. I do feel pride when I see the flag – but only because of what it represents. The flag isn’t a holy relic for Pete’s sake!

And that line will probably never be removed because even though it violates the separation of church and state, no one’s absolutely required to say it. In the morning I stand up and say “…One nation… indivisible…”

(That is if I even say it, most mornings I don’t feel like it.)

I think your son came up with a good compromise. Depending on the age level of your class, the kids might not even think to ask why that’s all you participate.
Whenever I had to do the pledge with young kids, who needed guidance with it, I just left out the “Under god” part. By the time they got that far, they were rolling along pretty well.
I don’t feel compelled to pledge allegiance to the flag, but I’m not particularly bothered by it either, as long as I can say it my own way.
And as long as I don’t HAVE to say it. Leading it as part of the already established classroom routine was just one part of the plans left to follow.

I have allegiance to my country – mainly because I am not FORCED to swear allegiance.

My feelings exactly