Nicholas Chupka
Staff Writer
Saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school is a much debated topic, since many people believe that all students should be required to recite the pledge daily.
Being an atheist, I have a major problem saying, “under God.” Last quarter, I refused to say the pledge. A staff member took me out into the hallway and told me I had to say the pledge. Well, actually, I don’t. Based on the principles of freedom of speech and freedom of religion, no one can force me to say the pledge. He then told me that if I had a problem with that, I could write my name on the board and he would contact an administrator. I did so, and was never called down to the administrator, most likely because they told him that it’s actually illegal to punish me for it. In fact, Wake County Public School System policy states, “The school shall not compel any person to stand, salute the flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but each person shall maintain proper decorum while others participate.” I never showed any disrespect during the pledge; therefore, this staff member did not have the right to tell me to say the pledge.
Students, like myself, have had the pledge drilled into our heads from a very young age. I remember the first time I was told to say the pledge in class. They told us to put our right hands over our hearts and recite the words on the paper they gave us. None of us even knew what any of the words meant.
Public schools have always taught students to think critically. If that is so, then why would any staff member attempt to punish students for thinking for themselves? If students are choosing not to say the pledge of allegiance because of their personal beliefs, shouldn’t they be praised for applying the skills they have learned in school to real life situations?
The main issue many people, including myself, have with the pledge of allegiance is the fact that it includes the phrase “One nation, under God”. Personally, I believe that the words, “under God,” should never have been put in the pledge; it contradicts our constitution. According to ushistory.org, this phrase was originally added to the pledge in 1954 “in response to the Communist threat of the times.” We aren’t currently facing any threat of Communism, so why is this still in the pledge? Not everyone believes in God and not everyone should be forced to profess a belief in God. The idea that someone could force another person to say something they don’t want to is, quite frankly, un-American.
In 2003, The Common Good Foundation, a non-profit organization formed to “foster Christian service in America,” said, “The Pledge of Allegiance does not mandate a religious belief in God, establish a religion, or constitute a government endorsement of a religion.” If that is so then why is the word “God” capitalized in the pledge? Wouldn’t that imply there is only one god?
