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Staff writer Todd Silberman can be reached at 829-4531 or todds@newsobserver.com.
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THE PLEDGE
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.
WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING
'I hope that it will instill more patriotism and a sense of pride and support for our troops. We need to respect that and remember what they're fighting for. There are a lot of things that youth take for granted.'
-- Julian Quesada, 17, Apex High School senior whose appeal led to the initial bill filed in 2005
'I'm a camp counselor, and I say it every day when we raise and lower the flag. But in a public school, it seems like a colossal waste of resources and time. This is a law that it seems to me was passed with the intent of elected representatives gaining political capital.'
-- Danny Chappuis, 17, Raleigh Charter High senior
'Even though it's optional, with a large majority of people saying it, especially the teacher saying it, you feel pressure to say it yourself. ... It puts a damper on students thinking for themselves and also puts a damper on us asking the question of what really are our country's values.'
-- Gerilyn Hubbe, 17, Raleigh Charter High senior
'I think it's great. You live in America. There's no reason for me not to say the pledge.'
-- Sami Kress, 16, Enloe High junior
'I don't believe in what it stands for. There's no justice for all, and there's no liberty for all.'
-- Danielle Summons, 16, Enloe High senior
'It makes me feel that I'm doing what I should, but I have no problem with others choosing not to.'
-- Matt Wilson, 17, East Chapel Hill High senior
COMPILED BY TODD SILBERMAN
A HISTORY LESSON
SEPT. 8, 1892: The pledge, written by socialist and Baptist minister Francis Bellamy, is published in "The Youth's Companion," a leading family magazine of its day: "I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
1923-24: The wording is changed by the National Flag Conference, under leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
1942: Congress officially recognizes the pledge, adopting it as part of the nation's flag code.
1943: The U.S. Supreme Court rules that schools cannot force students to say the pledge. The ruling in a West Virginia case involving Jehovah's Witnesses finds that matters of religious conviction should be safeguarded from political control.
1954: Congress and President Eisenhower officially add "under God" to the Pledge on Flag 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."
2004: The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses a challenge by a Sacramento physician who sought to have "under God" stricken from the pledge on First Amendment grounds. The court rules that the divorced doctor lacked standing because he did not have custody of his daughter, on whose behalf he filed the challenge.
"THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: A SHORT HISTORY," BY JOHN W. BAER; EDUCATION WEEK
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Others argue on political grounds that the pledge doesn't fit their perception of the nation."It's not one nation," said Ijeamaka Okoye, 17, a senior at Enloe. "It's not speaking the truth."Bringing pledge to lifeMost students in several Wake high schools that have begun the daily practice of saying the pledge are participating, teachers and students said.In some classrooms, teachers have seized on the requirement as a timely, concrete lesson in everything from lawmaking to the meaning of citizenship. Tito Craige, a history and civics teacher at East Chapel Hill High, has used the pledge to drive discussion in his 10th-grade civics classes."To me, more important than the pledge is the discussion that has come out of it," Craige said during class Thursday. "What the love of our country means to students. To many, it's more than a sentence. And the pledge allows us to disagree with one another."Students in Craige's class said that during the morning pledge, students in some classes stand and participate, but in others, most students remain seated and silent. The law is clear: Students cannot be compelled to stand, salute or recite."I love America," said Brooke Price, 15. "I just don't like the law about the pledge. What is the reason for it? They want us to be more patriotic, but no one seems to be very enthusiastic.""It would be more valuable if we talked about what it means to be a citizen," said Diana Madden, 15. "Being a citizen means voting and being active in your community."Allan Faircloth, 15, counts himself among those who stand and recite the pledge each day. He said a visit this summer to Venezuela strengthened his feelings toward his own country."It made me appreciate living in the United States," Allan said.Said Meghan Gary, 15, "It's a good reminder of what we stand for. It's a reminder that I live in a country where I can do what I want and say what I want."
