Children should not be forced to recite the Pledge
Daily Journal (Opinion), EducationJan 29, 2012
Every day, millions of American children are forced to start their school day by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. They are told by their principals that it is required, but it is not. The Pledge is considered to be an oath of allegiance and it is a “government-sanctioned endorsement of religion,” that “violates the Establishment Clause of the first amendment to the US Constitution.”
The history of the Pledge shows that it is not, and never was, a pledge set in stone. It has been controversial since it began and continues to be so today. During its lifetime, it has been changed four times. The origin of the Pledge also was never intended as an oath of loyalty. It was designed to