Every school day, when the morning speaker announces “please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance,” some students stand up and verbally recite it, some stand up and remain silent and some don’t stand up at all.
Let’s be honest. Lots of students most likely aren’t thinking about what they’re pledging to. They stand because it’s routine or maybe just to avoid being the one kid who doesn’t.
The Pledge of Allegiance was created in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, but it wasn’t supposed to be a pledge of the entire nation, according to the National Constitution Center. It was simply created to celebrate Columbus Day. The original version of the pledge didn’t even include the words “under God” in it.
Since the pledge became a practice in schools across the U.S., it’s become a source of controversy for its wording, leading to three Supreme Court cases.
In Minersville School District v. Gobitis in 1940, two schoolchildren were expelled from their public school in Pennsylvania for refusing to salute the flag as part of a daily school exercise. They were Jehovah’s Witnesses and believed that saluting the flag was forbidden by the Bible.
The Court did not rule in favor of the schoolchildren, but that precedent was reversed in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette in 1943. In this case, another child in a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses refused to recite the pledge for religious reasons, and the Court held that compelling public schoolchildren to salute the flag was unconstitutional.
Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow in 2004 specifically addressed the two words “under God” in the pledge. Newdow argued that forcing students to listen to the words “under God” was a violation of their First Amendment rights, but the Court did not rule in favor of him as Newdow did not have custody over his daughter for whom he was fighting.
The concern that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance goes against the beliefs of certain religions is still a valid concern, as this problem has not been fixed.
According to the Freedom Forum, four states — Arizona, Hawaii, Vermont and Wyoming — out of the 50 do not currently require schools to set aside time for saying the pledge. This change is happening in certain states, so why can’t Missouri follow their footsteps?
If the pledge is said every morning by every student to inspire patriotism, why are we mentioning God? Back in the 19th century, it may have been more acceptable to make school children recite a pledge with an undertone of Christian beliefs. However, times have changed. It’s no longer 1892, and the United States is now a diverse nation, with many who come from different backgrounds, and who practice different religions.
Indeed, Thomas Jefferson’s famous 1802 letter describes the First Amendment as creating a “wall of separation between Church & State,” which today is a foundational principle in U.S. government. The door to religious influence in government practice should always remain closed.
Some may say it’s important to keep traditions like these alive, and although I do believe in the importance of valuable traditions, the Pledge of Allegiance is not one of them. It is a tradition that conforms them to do something they might not want to do. Students who wish to recite the pledge can choose to do this on their own, but it doesn’t make sense to make the recitation of the pledge a part of school routine, making all students feel as if they have to do it.
If we as a country truly value liberty and justice for all, then we must make this change to create a more inclusive community.
