Can someone cite an example of anyplace in the US where schools have stopped saying the Pledge?

[OmahaBlueDog]

On Facebook, where there seems to be a certain obsession and, frankly, insecurity about the Pledge of Allegiance, I found this posted by one of my neighbors:

"I remember all through grade school saying this every morning to start the day... I pledge allegiance to the flag of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands, one nation under GOD, indivisible, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for all! We no longer do that for fear of OFFENDING SOMEONE! Let's see how many AMERICANS will re-post this & NOT CARE about offending anyone...."

We no longer do that for fear of OFFENDING SOMEONE??????????????????????????

Do tell? Where? When did this happen?

[ingac70]

1. We stopped saying the Pledge at my school....

when I was in 10th grade. I graduated in 1990. Small redneck town, Tennessee. I quit reciting it in 4th grade on my own.

[OmahaBlueDog]

2. I know lots of people who don't say it. I'm surprised schools stopped.

I would have figured that was a surefire way for all of the school board members to be voted out.

Tennessee. Wow.

Thanks.

[OhioBlue]

3. maybe some business manager....errrr superintendent

calculated that the extra minutes each day added up to enough hours to be devoted to teaching to the test that it would be beneficial for their school scores to eliminate it....

[csziggy]

4. I don't remember saying it every day at school back in the 50s and 60s

If the Farcebook person is making this claim, let them prove it.

[Hannah Bell]

16. i do.

[Tunkamerica]

5. I graduated in 97, didn't say the pledge since maybe 1st grade which would be 85 or 86

I barely remember it.

[rucky]

6. SAN FRANCISCO

just kidding.

[bhikkhu]

7. I don't know that anyone is offended by it

Growing up in California in the 70's, we said it in the private school I went to until 8th grade. I stood and put my hand over my heart and didn't say the words. In high school I don't think they said it in any of the classes, but sometimes assemblies began with the pledge. Being non-comformist, I wouldn't stand, and did get a pretty hard time about it.
Currently going to my kids' school events they always begin with the pledge. Like many there, kids and adults, I simply stand at respectful attention, and haven't ever seen or heard of any bad behavior or issues.

[X_Digger]

8. We did it in cub scouts, but not in class..

I grew up in the 70's in rural Virginia.

[Angry Dragon]

9. tell your neighbor that the original pledge did not have god in it

and the salute before WWII was the Nazi salute....see how they like those facts

[OmahaBlueDog]

13. It wan't quite the Nazi salute

The palm was extended up, not down. My mom has told me about that.

[ingac70]

22. .....

[provis99]

23. the palm must be upward. It was called the Bellamy Salute.

essentially though, a lot of people did it like the Nazi salute, because it was easier on the arm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute

[Cleita]

10. I can honestly say that when I went to

parochial school before 1958 that we never said the POA in favor of the Hail Mary. I don't think this was true in the public schools ever.

[roody]

11. I don't say it in my classroom unless someone asks us to.

I think most teachers do say it.

[jobycom]

12. They say it more now than when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s.

We said it in elementary school, but I went to a private school in 7th and 8th grade, and then back to a public school for high school. Neither school said it. We had a "moment of silence" every morning, as a pouty fit over not being able to say a public prayer, but I don't remember the pledge.

My kid in high school now is required to say it.

This is what happens when a nation is in decline. It loses substance, so it overplays its rituals.

[CreekDog]

17. in the mid/late 80's we started saying it more and more

although not every day.

and i was in a SF suburb.

[Lifelong Protester]

14. It is still read each day over the intercom in Wisconsin

or recited in elementary classes. I do it with my kids IN SPANISH. I'm surprised no one has been offended at that (I do teach Spanish, it's not totally random).

[Ilsa]

15. Not where i am. But when I'm the nurse in the nursing office,

I ignore the "moment of silence" and pledge. The kid seeing me for illness or injury can say them if they want to, but I don't enforce those rules. I'll enforce a fire drill, but not morning announcements and daily icon-stuff.

[CC]

18. The correct comment to who ever

post that crap on FB is... Oh sorry to hear YOUR school district is no longer saying the pledge. If this really bothers YOU that much then YOU might want to take some real action instead of pasting YOUR displeasure on FB. A copy and paste on FB really won't change anything in YOUR school district. If YOU would like extra help in getting the Pledge back into YOUR school district just pm me the school board address and district and the link to the news that someone was bothered so they banned the Pledge and I would be willing to write to them with you. Was really fun to do this to a sibling that should of known better.

If that doesn't work ask them how much they get paid per right-wing bs post and who do you get in touch with so you can earn some extra cash.:evilgrin:

Starts some interesting conversations with aware people and those that don't want questions have learned to block the right-wing BS from me. Even more fun when you get people that learned it without "under God" in it talking about how screwed up the rhythm and flow is now. I have even seen the talibornagain try to tell people how the writer was never really a Baptist minister.

[sammytko]

31. Good answer

Going to use this next time some idiot friend of min e does this. We set them straight last time. I can't believe the crap people post as gospel on there. And now I can't quit cuz they hooked me with the games. Very shallow of me.

[FLyellowdog]

19. Still saying it in Florida as the students stand in classrooms

that have required plaques hanging on the wall saying "In God We Trust."
:banghead:

[left is right]

20. I don’t remember pledging it more than a few times during the year

and that was in the late 50s. I do remember saying it on both Washington and Lincoln’s birthday

[saras]

21. Back around 1970 we quit

Elementary school - they said it when I started, they didn't by eighth grade.

Personally I credited MAD magazine as much as any more serious politics.

So, if you want to get technical, maybe they were afraid that somebody would be offended by someone else reciting a parody version - but I don't think that's what you mean.

[JoePhilly]

27. Same in Philly.

[Festivito]

24. We have Muslim kids who remain silent at the under God part.

... one nation, __ ___ ___, indivisible ...

Elementary school kids around Dearborn, Michigan.

[cali]

25. Many schools in Vermont don't say the pledge

look up Woodbury vermont.

[niyad]

26. the pledge is a loyalty oath, not allowed under the constitution. and the phrase "under god" was

only added in 1954 to appease the red-scare jerks.''and the pledge itself was only composed in 1892, and has been modified 4 times.

[tekisui]

28. It is good we don't force kids to say it anymore. Not only because

it offends some, but because it is nationalistic crap.

[Bigmack]

29. Remember the "loyalty oath"...

thing in the book "Catch-22"?

[Ezlivin]

30. Show them the ORIGINAL pledge in action

Then ask them if they want to see this in schools.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA0A0ymd0CM