I didn't do it. At least not in high school. Partly it was the "under God" thing and partly because it seemed to go against what I understood as the founding principles of my country.
If the "with liberty and justice for all" part were even remotely true, I'd have less of a problem with it.
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I understand that that's the (alleged) ideal, or at least was the ideal when it was written, but...NSM in the real world we have to live in.
Also, making kids stand and recite a loyalty oath every morning is like, Hello Red China!
I think we said it every morning in grade school. I didn't question it then. I don't think I'd mind if my kids said it now. Mostly because it's for show.
I'd say it now if asked--but I also bow my head when others around me pray, even though I do not.
In junior high, we were supposed to say the Pledge during first period, which is when I had Spanish class, so we used to say it in Spanish.
In grade school we said it and then sang "My Country Tis of Thee".
And funnily enough, when Emeline first learned it last year, she made us say it before every meal. I think because her class got their morning snack right after.
This is my favorite version of the Pledge:
"I plead alignment to the flakes of the untitled snakes of a merry cow. And to the republicans for which they scam, one nacho, underpants with licorice and jugs of wine for owls." ~Bongo from Life In Hell (Matt Groening)
When I taught in middle school, they did the pledge every day. I expected each kid to be willing to stand politely, even if they don't say it.
I also think it's weird to pledge allegiance to a flag first, not to the ideals of the country. I think there's something beautifully medieval about the idea of a allegiance, implying a liege lord.
I do sing the national anthem though.
Also, there's something almost poetic about the pledge being this Big Thing when it was originally an effort to sell more flags, like the almighty buck gets institutionalized as loyal "good citizen" behavior.
Also, making kids stand and recite a loyalty oath every morning is like, Hello Red China!
This, pretty much. I know most teachers don't have a problem with kids who abstain, but the idea that kids should have to prove their patriotism before they can start learning is...creepy. Moreso now that I live in a neighborhood where most of the kids are immigrants or children of immigrants.
Dylan was riding his tricycle on the sidewalk outside our building the other day and a 10 year-old kid on his scooter came up to play with him. The first thing he asked me is "So, where is he from?" I said, "Oh, we live here" and pointed to my building. "No, but like, where are you from" this kid kept asking. And it dawned on me that this kid really couldn't process the idea of a family having been in America more than two generations - it wasn't part of his experience. He turned out to be from Yemen.
