[secret garden]

What's wrong with pledging allegiance to the government in a government school? Next, they'll want to tell kids in religious schools not to pray. This is just plain goofy.

[ladylib]

"In issuing a temporary injunction, U.S. District Judge Lewis Babcock said the law discriminates against teachers by allowing students to opt out with a note from their parents. Teachers have no such option."

In the PA case, the federal court said that it didn't matter whether or not parents gave their child permission to opt out. The government (state schools) can't coerce speech.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

The gov of Colo is going to be very upset.

This is not about compelling students to make the pledge because they already have the right to opt out for any reason with a note.

Its obviously about banning the pledge outright. This judge wanted this outcome, and then worked backwards with the JCLU to get it. Whatever happened to the old lib standby- that anyone should then be able to make a pledge to anything of their choice also?? I guess this new decision is more iron clad in shutting down the pledge.

The NEA must be celebrating tonight.

[cake_crumb]

Divisive and discriminatory against WHOM, exactly?

Thanks again ACLU, for being a bastion of hatred, discrimination and divisiveness under the guise of diversity and tolorance.

[fish hawk]

False headline. It is not a mandatory thing. Anyone, student or teacher that does not want to do it does not have too. The Governor was on TV yesterday explaining the whole thing. Another Media hype.

[tet68]

''This is nothing less than ritualistic recitation of words that have much meaning to some people and no meaning to other people,'' he said.

And because it has NO meaning to some people, they want those that it has meaning for, NOT to be able to do it.

Liberals!

[Cold Heat]

14yr olds are now making law.

This has also come after the program has started. I wonder how the rest of the 14yr olds feel about it and the courts and the stupid decisions that they make.

[Mushinronshasan]

After reading the replies to this article, I am surprised that so many people have misinterpreted the ruling. The obvious "what's wrong with the pledge" response ignores what the ruling did. It's not prohibition of the pledge, it's a prohibition of a government from compelling it's citizens to do something they are not required to do.

If the state of Colorado thought that tolerating gays was a good thing, would it be a good idea to require all teachers and students to swear a pledge to say so? Some of those who disagree with that lifestyle might not want to pledge an oath to it. Would the state have the authority to make them do so? I don't think so.

The judge is right. Whether the pledge is good or bad is not the question. The freedom of the citizens to accept it or not should not be a function of government.

[BenLurkin]

How the blazing H-E-[-[ is the Pledge of Allegiance DIVISIVE?

Those who undermine the pledge are those who would divide us!

[ijcr]

Since when did a 14 yr old have standing in a court of law?

[joesnuffy]

In my 'public' grade school we started out every morning with both the pledge and the Lords Prayer
imagine that...

[goldstategop]

Lewis Babcock is an idiot. No one is compelled to attend and students can always opt out of saying the Pledge. But liberal judges like him have decided patriotic sentiment is well... unconstitutional.

[usadave]

Last month, a federal court ruled a Pennsylvania law requiring all students to recite the pledge or sing the national anthem violated students' freedom of speech under the First Amendment.

If all of the students in a particular classroom were required to give a verbal book report, would that violate the students' freedom of speech rights under the First Amendment?

[b9]

Wouldn't it be great if the schools broadcast over their PA systems the Red Skelton version of the Pledge of Allegiance?
At the end, when he invites all to recite it together, I bet
if kids had the choice, they'd be inspired to say it.

Has anyone heard him? I don't have a copy, but it's clear as a bell in my head, so sincere.