Unconstitutional To Make Students Stand For Pledge

[GameSnake]

Unconstitutional To Make Students Stand For Pledge
"A federal judge ruled Thursday that it is unconstitutional to require a student to stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Judge Kenneth Ryskamp also ruled that a student does not have to get a parent's permission to be excused from reciting the pledge." ... "[A 17-year-old junior] was told by [a teacher] that he was so ungrateful and so un-American after he twice refused to stand for the pledge in [class]."
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[Newby]

I am going to sit down just to exercise my rights and see if they are valid yet.

[dark_drake]

It hasn't been constitutional for years.  I'm pretty sure it's following a precedent from one of the Jehovah Witness cases.

[GameSnake]

Now if they would only take "in god we trust" off the US currency...

[Sidoh]

Shit like this is just stupid.  The teacher was dumb for making a big deal about it; it just gives the people who won't recite it the attention they desire.

[iago]

People should absolutely have the right to either sit down or stand up for it, in general.  You can't promote freedom in one breath then force everybody to do what you tell them to in another. 

Of course, it's sad when people intentionally dishonour their country to prove a point. 

I have to agree with Sidoh, there's no way this should get any media coverage. 

[dark_drake]

Now if they would only take "in god we trust" off the US currency...

If I remember right, it's still constitutional because it's tradition.

[zorm]

People should absolutely have the right to either sit down or stand up for it, in general.  You can't promote freedom in one breath then force everybody to do what you tell them to in another. 

Of course, it's sad when people intentionally dishonour their country to prove a point. 

I have to agree with Sidoh, there's no way this should get any media coverage. 

I whole heartedly agree. My high school has never forced people to stand(in the time that I've been here) and in general there tends to be a number of people who will sit. Of course of the people sitting 1 or 2 are sitting out of "protest" or for any semi-legit reason while the rest are just too fucking lazy to stand the fuck up.

[Joe]

The way my school works, we have homeroom once every other week (about) and the classes are shortened a few minutes to make room for it, and the pledge is said in homeroom on those days. Other days, it's said in first hour.

Both my homeroom teacher and first hour teacher have no problem with me sitting down. One time, though, a substitute told me to stand and I said "No". He just left it at that.

I haven't stood for the pledge in a very long time. Not really as a protest against America, but as zorm said, I've usually started doing something or another while not paying attention to the preceeding anouncements and I'm too lazy to stand up. Also, pledging alegiance to the flag is a form of idol worship, I guess, but nobody cares if I stand up or not in the first place.

[Super_X]

The way my school works, we have homeroom once every other week (about) and the classes are shortened a few minutes to make room for it, and the pledge is said in homeroom on those days. Other days, it's said in first hour.

Both my homeroom teacher and first hour teacher have no problem with me sitting down. One time, though, a substitute told me to stand and I said "No". He just left it at that.

I haven't stood for the pledge in a very long time. Not really as a protest against America, but as zorm said, I've usually started doing something or another while not paying attention to the preceeding anouncements and I'm too lazy to stand up. Also, pledging alegiance to the flag is a form of idol worship, I guess, but nobody cares if I stand up or not in the first place.

I like how you dont stand for a pledge, but you wear the flag on your clothes.

[CrAz3D]

I dont think you should HAVE to stand, but I should be able to pummle you verbally

[Sidoh]

I dont think you should HAVE to stand, but I should be able to pummle you verbally

Of course.  Freedom of speech exists.  That doesn't mean that it's moraly correct or justified to do so, though.

[Joe]

Super_X, I'm a fifteen year old supernerd. Do you seriously think I do my own clothes shopping? =p

[rabbit]

HAH.  Supernerd my ass.  You're a churchboy.

[Krazed]

HAH.  Supernerd my ass.  You're a churchboy.

Lmao. Anyway, this whole thing is a joke. If a kid doesn't want to stand, it's not a big deal. The pledge is recited every single day in my school, sure teachers get mad if we don't stand, but whatever.

[Warrior]

In my school, we all stand (not sure if it's forced or by choice) regardless of religion. Some however are free not to recite it. I think it's more of a mutual respect thing.

[Sidoh]

Yeah.  That or they don't want to draw unwanted attention to themselves.  Like I already said, I think it's really stupid to not stand.  I don't really mind if people don't recite the pledge or put their hand over their heart or whatever, but standing isn't hurting anyone.  Oh well.  I won't complain.

[Hitmen]

These days I tend to stand out of respect, even though I think the pledge is a retarded idea in general. People who say the pledge are no more or less "american" or "patriotic" than people who don't, and forcing it down our throats every day in school is just annoying.

[Warrior]

I agree, it's more like a traditional thing to americans. I respect anyones wishes not to recite it, hell I sometimes dont say it myself and that doesnt make me less american

[Nate]

Ok so the Pledge can change;
It used to be customary to salute the flag w/ a full arm salute(think Nazis) then during WWII that changed.
'Under God' was added to the Pledge in 1954 by Eisenhower in order to combat aetheistic communists.

[deadly7]

These days I tend to stand out of respect, even though I think the pledge is a retarded idea in general. People who say the pledge are no more or less "american" or "patriotic" than people who don't, and forcing it down our throats every day in school is just annoying.

Pretty much, yeah.

[TeHFoOoL]

A friend and I usually replace the generic Pledge with whatever joke we overuse at that time.. For example:

I pledge allegiance, to the fetus
of the United States of Wombs.

Can't be funny here, but when the whole class says " flag" and the two of us say "fetus" it's pretty laughable.

[Sidoh]

HAHAAHAHa.  The pledge of the fetus.  That's great.

[Chavo]

These days I tend to stand out of respect, even though I think the pledge is a retarded idea in general. People who say the pledge are no more or less "american" or "patriotic" than people who don't, and forcing it down our throats every day in school is just annoying.

Amen.

On a scale from 1 to 10, not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance being a good idea falls at about a 'good-luck-getting-laid'

[Armin]

I don't stand during the pledge because I think it's more disrespectful to the country than it is respectful. The majority of the class just stand and talk to each other and fuck around.