How far should schools go in getting students to recite the pledge of allegiance?

Although I do agree with both religious and political views on the matter. What God said about obeying the rules of the land, this is very true, but to the best of my memory of our American history I don't think that it had very ben made a law that every American "must" pledge their allegiance. All persons who reside on American soil has the responsability to honor the land and it's people, but are not required to participate in all of the triditional beliefs. If the qovernment every made it a law then their would be a lot of groups that would be in a heep of trouble, those groups would also include senior adults that have seen everything that this country has gone through over these many years. I believe if every american was truly honest with themselves, then at one point or another in their lives they may have to admit that at some point in their existance they were shamed be something that has taken place in this country. We may be the best county in the word, but we are far from being perfect. We all know that the only perfection in any form of existance is unseen to the human eye.

The children of today are of their own mind, but as long as we as a society lay the ground work and make sure that they understand what the pledge stand for and show then that what it means to be here in America compared to other countries then they will be there for their country. It is up to us to give them reason to want to say the pledge just like our teachers, family and government had done for us.

We have obviously failed to teach these children the way we were taught. At one time it was second nature to have prayer before any class took place. That was lost so why wouldn't the pledge be lost.

Don't get me wrong I don't agree with the way things are going but to look at the big picture this has been in the making for many years and if we don't put things back into GOD'S hand we are in for more then just a child not wanting to resight a pledge.

When was the last time any one of us has said the pledge in our own home? Not ball games, etc. In your home. How determined we are regarding our views of the pledge, prayer, Bible classes, etc. Great sounding boards and grandstanding, yet honestly, when was the last time you pledged out loud in the privacy of your homes?

I logged on here saying it should be mandatory, also support the legislation regarding Bible Education going on in Nashville now, but then I said you fool. You have 5 grandchildren, when was the last time you said the pledge with them. You fool. How much dust is on your Bible yet you sent 25 emails this week supporting the proposed law to allow Bible Classes in the classroom.

Sure I have a flag in the front yard and a modge podge of different colored ribbons to show my support for country and causes...Keywords: to show.

All this violence in the schools that has overwhelmed the newscasts the last few weeks....lack of respect between neighbors, all the fights and violence.

We need to wakeup and say the pledge before we banish this child from our society, get the dust off our Bibles before we proclaim the need for legalized school Bible teaching, maybe we can change our communities which we have neglected : homeward out. :)

Sometimes we debate so much that the obvious isn't seen. The fix begins with us. God forgive us for our basic neglect.

I grew up saying the pledge, but for the past five years have refused. I was convicted that my allegiance belongs to God and my citizenship in heaven. No man can serve two masters. Likewise, you can't pledge allegiance to two entities. My complete allegiance is with God. I love my country and I am devoted to serving it to the best of my ability. However, I will not make a pledge I cannot keep.

In many cases, punishing the child for not reciting the pledge is really punishing the parents for teaching their religious views to the child and expecting him to live by them. Denying a public education because of benign silence due to religious beliefs is a violation of the freedom of speech and of religion guaranteed by the First Amendment to our U.S. Constitution. You can thank my public education for that knowledge.

Just curious, is she on free lunch?

As an American she has the right not to say the pledge...but as an American she should be PROUD to stand up and pledge her allegiance to our NATION.

She has the right, as an American and a human being, to recite or remain silent during the pledge. Just as everyone should have the right to believe or not believe in a god or gods. Every person on this earth should have the right to live their lives they way they want without religious intolerance, ridicule, slavery, and hatred thrust upon them. There is not one place on this earth with that kind of freedom, not even America; Sad but true.

god also said. obay the rules of the country u are in. rules of the land. if one does not beleave in the pledge. u dedounce your place in America/.
the pledge is a pledge saying u will stand up for it. die for it,. as many brothers and sisters have done sence the begaining of the USA. if u dont beleave in America dont u ever stick that greedy hand out for help. .
i blame the mothers and fathers for Not teaching there kids right from wrong. and RESPECT.
if a child can not respect its self how in the smurf can it know how to respect others.
you are right, one must show respect to get it.. but the kids of today. and as far back as the 80s. have no respect at all., 1 out of ten. maybe.
people ask what is wrong with our kids of today,,
there let go with no supervision at all.
to do as they want as long as there not in the pairents hair, or pocket books.. a child has to be cultivated just like a crop. flower does.. if not. its mind is over grown with weeds,, gangs drugs, foolish ideas and we all know about Idol hands = the devels work. look at the arrest pages . she needs sat down and told the truth of WHY we say it. and WHAT it means/ then shown the grave yards where our fallen are laid to rest ,. SO she can sit in a classroom at school and get a free EDUCATION and not worry about there being a school there tomarrow or next week. or a teacher to teach her what she needs to learn... u are FREE to make a choice . because of that Pledge/// like it or move to another country

As long as she is receiving benefits from this country, she should be willing to say the pledge. The benefits that she enjoys were paid for by the lives of our soldiers past and present and if she doesn't appreciate that, why should she benefit. If she wants to protest, why is she still in school spending our money?

Respect? To teach our children respect we have to in turn show them respect. This girls choice not to pledge should be respected, she did not cause a scene, she sat quietly during the pledge RESPECTING others preference to pledge.

If she chose to pray during the pledge would we be punishing her? Young teens and children have freedom of religion and speech just as we adults have. As long as it is done in a RESPECTFUL way... can we ask for more?

Anyone who is not allegiant to their country should not accept the freebies that are provided by the government. Who pays her teacher? Who pays for her all the cost in providing her education in general? She is perfectly willing to accept all this and will probable get public assistance if she attends college.
( I notice she is attendding a public school)It's doubtful that she know what is really going on in Iraq, since she apparently doesn't know what goes on in her own country.
Many people have fought and died for all that she has, and yet she refuses to pay allegiance, and oh how somepeople twist the scriptures.

I grew up not saying the pledge and except one or two cases, most people did not have a problem with. I stood when the other kids said pledged allegiance, but was given respect in the classroom for my beliefs. I commend this young lady for standing up in what she believes in. These people are saying move to another country if we do not state the pledge, but are they forgetting the major points in which we were founded. Our rights as citizens and if I remember correctly that constituted speech and religion!

All children should know the pledge but if we force them are we not as barbaric as some of the countries we wage war against.

I hope people realize that the Pledge is just a series of words put together to help express one's patriotism. By no means is it the only way or a required way to show your country respect. I honestly think what the girl did was more patriotic than the Pledge: her freedom of expression and her ability to show dissent with what she finds wrong with this country.

ok dont pledge just go an live in a middle east country
or even russia or even china when you get back and you
see how great the u.s.a. is a freedom many men died for
and if they could tell you they would proudly do it again. and after one year or even less you would probely
wont to lead the pledge yourself .
may GOD bless

I pledge allegiance to my God, my family, my friends...Government should try pledging allegiance to We the People! End of Story....

If you can't say the pledge to the flag you don't need to live in the United States!

It is part of having RESPECT! THAT is what we need to be teaching our children.....how to show RESPECT!!