Posted on 08/02/2007 8:14:32 AM PDT by SConservative
Texas students will have four more words to remember when they head back to class this month and begin reciting the state's pledge of allegiance.
This year's Legislature added the phrase "one state under God" to the pledge, which is part of a required morning ritual in Texas public schools along with the pledge to the U.S. flag and a moment of silence.
State Rep. Debbie Riddle, who sponsored the bill, said it had always bothered her that God was omitted in the state's pledge.
"Personally, I felt like the Texas pledge had a big old hole in it, and it occurred to me, 'You know what? We need to fix that,' " said Riddle, R-Tomball. "Our Texas pledge is perfectly OK like it is with the exception of acknowledging that just as we are one nation under God, we are one state under God as well."
By law, students who object to saying the pledge or making the reference to God can bring a written note from home excusing them from participating.
But adding that phrase has drawn criticism from some who say it's unneccesary and potentially harmful to children who don't share the same religious beliefs. "Most Texans do not need to say this new version of the pledge in order to be either patriotic or religious," said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. "This is the kind of politicking of religion that disturbs many Americans, including those who are deeply religious."
The revised wording in the Texas pledge took effect on June 15, and the Texas Education Agency sent an e-mail reminding school districts about the change earlier this week.
Officials with Houston-area districts say they will notify schools and parents about the new requirement.
Rebecca Suarez, spokeswoman for the Houston Independent School District, said a letter about the change will be sent home to parents when their children return to school. And a flier with the pledge's revised wording will be sent to each campus before classes start.
Texas has had a pledge of allegiance since 1933. In 2003, the Legislature required all schools to pledge allegiance to the U.S. and Texas flags and observe a moment of silence every morning at the beginning of classes.
Texas isn't the only state that has its own pledge of allegiance. Other states include Michigan, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Kentucky.
Mississippi and Louisiana mention God in their pledges. And Kentucky lays claim to being blessed with "grace from on High."
No, a conservative believes in returning to the limited government intended by the Framers. A conservative believes the 10th Amendment says what it means.
In case you missed it, original intent can be modified by proper constituional procedure.
And in case you missed it, SCOTUS did not began 'divining' these supposed limitations until 1898 (the 5th Amendment), 1925 (1st Amendment), and the 1930s and 1940s for most of the rest (on a court packed by another Progressive, FDR). So it appears the definition of conservative to you is full support of Progressives and their actions(i.e. liberals). You'll be voting for Hillary or Rudy then will you?
What Texas wants to put in their pledge has nothing to do with the Bill of Rights.
No one is going to be arrested for refusing to pledge to the Texas Flag.
I agree...Thanks!
Nobody is forcing your daughter to worship. The Pledge is simply stating that God is over our state.
Do you really not believe that? (Especially since you saw fit to educate her in a Catholic School)......
That's my business and is of no business to the state of Texas'.
You are correct that it was not the establishment clause that had been used against requiring someone to say something against their religious principles. It was the free speech part of the First Amendment that prevents this.
I was surprised to learn that the Supreme Court first ruled 8-1 in 1940 that it was OK to force a child to pledge to the US flag. Then three years later the Court reversed itself. From a description of the later case (Source):
The Court held that the right of free speech guaranteed in the First Amendment to the Constitution means the government cannot force anyone to salute the American flag or recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Forcing people to have similar opinions was doomed to failure, and violated First Amendment principles: "If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein."
We have had our protection withdrawn for awhile now ( I believe) , but its just gotten to the point where a LOT of people ( even those who dont pay attention) are seeing it.
I personally believe we are about to the point where the pendulum will start swinging the other way, and we are in the phases right before things start rapidly changing for the better- I feel it and see it daily...
Have faith.
There is a plan....
That is your right, but you can’t say that you believe in God on one hand, and deny the public right to recognize his Lordship with the other......
Some of the prophets agree with you, Kim Clemente for one. I don’t think God has abandoned us, just withdrawn for a while. It may get really bad before it gets better, though.
I can believe in God and deny The state of Texas mandating the public recognition of His Lordship. I'll do that on my own and I don't need the state of Texas to tell my child or me when to do it and how to do it.
Interesting that in the old days, when we actually had a Republic, there were less of these forced shows of patriotism.
No one is forcing anyone to take a pledge.
If the majority of people in this state choose to put God in our pledge, then what is the problem?
The Republic envisioned by our Founding Fathers died in 1861.
Well now, apparently the MAJORITY of the people of this State, including myself, disagree. If you or your child choose not to say the pledge is YOUR business. (or omit that part if it offends you so much!)
I don’t think that is likely to happen. I have never heard of anyone being compelled to take the pledge, (either one).
They are taught it though.
In one of the cases I cited and linked to above from The Bill of Rights Institute (post 86) children were expelled from school because they wouldn't say the pledge. This was before the "under God" phrase was put in the pledge. Fortunately, the Court later ruled that no one has to say the pledge if they don't want to.
Justice Harlan Stone said the following in his dissent in the Supreme Court case that ruled it was OK to force children to say the pledge:
[T]he state seeks to coerce these children to express a sentiment which …violates their deepest religious convictions. ...The very essence of the liberty…is the freedom of the individual from compulsion as to what he shall think and what he shall say, at least where the compulsion is to bear false witness to his religion.
Personally, I feel that it is unconstitutional for children to have to bring a note from home for them to not have to say the Texas pledge. No one should be forced to affirm a religious belief that they do not hold, even a child.
Note some parents' outrage at their children having to write, "There is no God but Allah." in this FR thread (Link). That was in the UK. If you concur with the parents' concern, then perhaps you understand why some people object to having to affirm God in a pledge, voluntary or not.
You've made many great posts supporting the South's right to secede on the War Between The States threads. I'm curious. Do you say the "indivisible" part of the US pledge or leave it out like I do?
“Do you say the “indivisible” part of the US pledge or leave it out like I do?”
I very quietly leave it out. It is not worth the hassle to have to explain why, to some of the ignorant people around here.....
I truly understand the concern over the Texas Pledge, but I haven’t heard complaints regarding that line in the US Pledge, and I think this will go the same way.
I feel that someone who feels that way regarding the “under God” provision should do the same.
I agree with you and quietly leave it out.
The Texas pledge makes reference to Texas to Texas being indivisible. I thought we could divide into five states. You are a history graduate and Texas specialist. Is that provision still available to us?
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