Posted on 07/03/2002 6:05:31 PM PDT by mdittmar
The Pledge of Allegiance must be recited every week in Missouri's public schools under a bill signed into law Wednesday, a week after a panel of federal judges ruled the pledge unconstitutional.
State lawmakers had passed the bill before the ruling was issued, and Gov. Bob Holden said it didn't affect his decision to sign.
"This is a symbolic gesture that we as a state believe in the Pledge of Allegiance and its values and that we hold those values dear to our heart," Holden said. "I think that court decision will be overturned."
In their June 26 decision, three judges from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the pledge phrase "one nation under God" amounted to a government endorsement of religion, violating the separation of church and state. That ruling, which applies to nine Western states and not Missouri, has been stayed until other members of the court have a chance to weigh in.
Under the Missouri law, effective Aug. 28, public schools must ensure the pledge is recited weekly in a scheduled class of every student, but students cannot be required to participate.
Holden brushed aside suggestions that children who don't participate would be ostracized.
"I think the point here is that this is a way for them to all understand what it means to be an American," he said.
The bill's sponsor, Democratic Sen. Ted House, said the legislation was prompted partly by his concern that many Missouri schools were moving away from reciting the pledge.
"These are state schools, they receive public money and I think the Legislature should set the public policy of indicating that public schools will offer the Pledge of Allegiance to students," House said.
In Illinois on Wednesday, Gov. George Ryan signed into law a requirement that public high schools lead students in the pledge every day. State law already mandated that elementary schools set aside time for the pledge. Neither law requires that students participate in the pledge or punishes them if they refuse.
OMG,the horror,some children in school may be ostracized!
That's gotta be a first.
Slowly but surely,"the times they are a chang'en"
"Every public school is now required to offer the pledge of allegiance or the national anthem in grades one to 12 each school day, according to a change in state law included in 2001 Wisconsin Act 16 (the budget bill) that became effective 9/1/01. The law previously required every public school to offer the pledge of allegiance in grades one to eight at the beginning of school at least one day per week.
No student may be compelled against the student's objections or those of the student's parent(s)/guardian to recite the pledge or to sing the anthem."
A Southern Nazi?,whatever floats your boat:)
Why? I don't believe that reciting the pledge actually accomplishes anything, except getting people riled up on both sides.
Compulsory patriotism is the best way for kids to grow up NOT loving their county. Teaching them to appreciate the vision of the Founders is better than reciting any pledge.
In public schools nowdays????
No, but under the current wording of the pledge the student is forced to profess their belief to a public school official or fellow students. No one should have to do that.
My 'Seig Heil' above was too harsh, and I apologize, but that was what immediately came to mind when I envisioned a legislature requiring that schools ask students to pledge or sing.
I feel as patriotic as the next person and am happy to pledge my allegiance to this country, but I don't want the legislature mandating that public school children do it.
Never ruin an apology with an excuse.
I read that somewhere.
We're all on the same team,I hope.
No, but under the current wording of the pledge the student is forced to profess their belief to a public school official or fellow students. No one should have to do that.
Follow closely: "No student may be compelled..." The only people that "have to do" something are the teachers. Should a student not wish to participate, they can stand in respectful silence until the Pledge is over. No harm, no foul. I don't see how this "forces" them to profess belief in or against anything. Should anyone ask, they can simply say: "I don't wish to participate." End of conversation.
How very odd, I grew up saying the pledge every day in elementary school, this was in the 60's and nobody ever got "riled up"....imagine that.....in the 1960's!
Missouri's gov. just signed a bill today that allows the pledge to be said in schools once a week,.....it's a good start.....
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