Thread: School drops Pledge of Allegiance during ceremony

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School drops Pledge of Allegiance during ceremony
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What do you think about the controversy?

Story Published: Jun 10, 2008 at 7:48 PM PDT

Story Updated: Jun 11, 2008 at 12:52 PM PDT
By Bob Heye and KATU Web Staff
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PORTLAND, Ore. - The exclusion of the Pledge of Allegiance from a southwest Portland elementary school's ceremony has proved upsetting for a local mom.

Departing fifth-graders at Capitol Hill Elementary usually open their promotion ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance - but not this year.

"I was sad," said parent Briana Reese. "The flag was sitting up there, you know. Two of the kids went up and they said 'Everybody rise,' and we rose, and I thought for just a second 'Oh yeah, we're going to put our hands on our hearts and we're going to salute the flag' - but no."

Reese had heard that the principal planned to take the pledge out of the ceremony.

"I think that's what they should be doing - telling kids you should be pledging your allegiance to this country," Reese said. "This is a great country. You're here for a reason."

The pledge was instead replaced with a singing version of the preamble to the Constitution.

KATU tried repeatedly to talk with Principal Pam Wilson but got no results. However, in an e-mail response to Reese's questions, she explained the pledge was removed "out of respect for the diversity of religious faiths." READ THE FULL E-MAIL.

Some parents support the principal's decision.

"I think it's nice to be trying to consider everybody," said parent Teri Price. "But I don't think she necessarily meant it to be that controversial. I think she just wanted a change."

The Portland School District said there were no complaints about the pledge. They said they have little say in how principals handle end of the year ceremonies at individual schools.

The following is the full e-mail response that parent Briana Reese received from Principal Pam Wilson:

"The Pledge contains the words, 'under God' and we have many Muslim families here. So out of respect for the diversity of religious faiths practiced by our school community (parents and families) we decided that this year the students would memorize and sing the Preamble to the Constitution. At the rehearsal on Friday they did it from memory and to a wonderful song. It was very joyful and unique. I think you, and other parents, will really appreciate the creative and new way to open the program."








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The Pledge contains the words, 'under God' and we have many Muslim families here. So out of respect for the diversity of religious faiths practiced by our school community (parents and families) we decided that this year the students would memorize and sing the Preamble to the Constitution. At the rehearsal on Friday they did it from memory and to a wonderful song. It was very joyful and unique. I think you, and other parents, will really appreciate the creative and new way to open the program."




Hmmmmm........how about out of respect for THIS country, which those muslim families chose to be a part of, you instead come up with a "creative and new way" for those objecting to the use of the word "God", to recite The Pledge Of Allegiance?

Having them substitute the name of their own Higher Authority for "God" comes to mind.

Somehow, I believe that most of us could deal with THAT as a compromise rather than eliminating the Pledge altogether.

I have never recited the words "under God" as a part of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag! This phrase was added during Eisenhower's administration in response to his desire to present a strong contrast to "Godless communism". We recited, "one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" throughout my school years. Evidentally the law was changed after I had moved on to high school.

Might I suggest that returning the Pledge of Allegiance to its original form might quell a great deal of this religious controversy? I don't know if the word "indivisible" is retained in today's pledge, but it might be a good concept to reinforce at a time of such ethnic division in our country.

Political Correctness is going to be the death of the United States.

I WONDER WHO PRINCIPAL PAM WILSON IS VOTING FOR......

When did Americans become such spineless people this would have never gotten over even 10 years ago I must have missed the transformation some where along the line.