[FreeTally]

You are correct. The teacher was out of line and was probably trying to humiliate the kid. The kid can stand there and not recite it if he/she doesn't want to, but making them leave isn't smart.

[Teacher317]

You are correct. The teacher was out of line and was probably trying to humiliate the kid. The kid can stand there and not recite it if he/she doesn't want to, but making them leave isn't smart.

Given what's in the story, this seems most likely. However, my natural distrust of journalists (who enjoy a good sensationalized story), and my knee-jerk habit of defending teachers (SOME of 'em, anyway), I'll throw out these possibilities: the kid might've been disrupting others while they were reciting The Pledge, the kid might've been snotty or disrespectful after the teacher asked him to participate, or the kid might've been reciting an *ahem* "alternative version" of his own making.

[GovernmentShrinker]

It likewise wasn't very smart to announce to the complaining parent that she doesn't care what the law is.