No, absolutly not! not only for religious reasons, but for ethnic also.

No, but I feel sorry for a kid who is being taught to not WANT to!

Yes bc it is HER class room. If you are THAT rediculous over a stupid pledge you can not show up to class until it's over.

Schools cannot compel students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance as it has been determined to be a constitutional violation. Teachers may ask students to simply stand out of respect, however. Standing during the Pledge and reciting the Pledge are not the same.

No, they can't. As a student, I made a great show of refusing (back in my rebel days). Somewhere between being a student and becoming a teacher, I grew up. I came to realize what that pledge meant. I came to value it. I came to be ashamed of my senseless and selfish disobedience. So as a teacher I tried to explain and encourage. I am well aware that the pledge was written to try to force loyalty on a diverse nation during a war with the very home countries of some of those immigrants. It was written out of fear of those immigrants by the people who were here first. When you look at it from that point of view, its easy to rebel against it. Turn it around. Look at it from the point of view of the immigrants, most of whom might have been offended but said it willingly anyway. What does it say from their point of view? My great-grandparents would have been some of those immigrants. They were Germans, and German immigrants were VERY hated during WWII. From their point of view, it probably looked something like this: "I'm American. I love this country. I am loyal to you. Yes, I would fight to protect you, my neighbor and my brother. This town, this community, means something to me. I don't want you to fear me." In this country, the immigrants we were suspicious of said the Pledge and fought along side us. In Germany, they exterminated the immigrant they were afraid of. All of my male relatives in that generation volunteered and fought in WWII. The same thing happened with immigrants of Japanese descent, many while their families were interned. We don't get things perfect in this country. No country does. But that pledge is a uniting document, a statement of loyalty, that holds our country together despite her diversity. Talk to any naturalized citizen. For most of them, the moment in the naturalization ceremony in which they say that pledge is a moment of tearful pride. It is the moment in which they say "Now I am an American. Now I belong." That pledge means something to them. It means they no longer belong to the country that oppressed them. Now they belong to a nation who took them in, gave them a chance and takes them for who they are. So, disrespect that pledge which helps unite our diversity if you want. You have that right. But understand that you aren't just disrespecting a few lines of words. You are disrespecting every immigrant who has ever said those words with tears in their eyes. You are disrespecting something that helps make the diversity of this nation work. You are disrespecting people who are willing to give their lives to protect yours. Mostly, you are disrespecting yourself. If you don't believe in God, you can always leave those two words out as you say it.

ok