BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Atheist It's Baa--ack

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I would just mumble......

When I was in Virgina Public schools until I graduated HS in 1985, we had to say the pledge. However, as far back as I can remember, I NEVER said it. I just stayed silent, or I just mumbled the entire thing. It was my own form of rebellion.

Since then, however, the pledge has been replaced by a moment of silence. I work for the exact same school system where I was educated, so I have direct experience with this when I occasionally visit the schools first thing in the mornings.

I've never liked being a sheeple.

My father tells of when HE was young -- there was no "under God" in the pledge, and, justly (imo) feels that it should return to that.

We are fortunate to be out of the whole thing, since we homeschool part-time, and the part of the time my ds goes to school, they don't say the pledge. Just math and science, thank you very much.

My father tells of when HE was young -- there was no "under God" in the pledge, and, justly (imo) feels that it should return to that.

That was added sometime in the 1950s as I recall, as a reaction to the "Red Commie Scare" of the time, so yes, I can believe that.

I remember the addition of 'under god' to the pledge. I was about 12 or so. We recited it every morning in school and when changed, it made for a mess and has ever since. In so many ways.

Oh that pisses me off! I'll definitely have a note ready for my kids to take to school on the first day of class. In fact, although I was previously only concerned about my son's having to recite the words "under God" in the U.S. pledge (since he himself objected to it), I will now be sitting down my nine-year old daughter to discuss my beliefs with her to see how she wants to handle it. I don't plan on forcing her to refrain from reciting the Texas or U.S. pledge, however. In fact, I imagine she would be really embarrassed to stand out as being "different" if I insisted that she refrain from the recitation. But I will tell her that I do not think it is necessary to pledge allegiance to the state of Texas and that I object to their wording, and that if at any point she feels like she wants to stop reciting it, all she has to do is ask me and I will send the administration a note.

Pledging allegiance to "one state under God"... what utter nonsense!

That's the only way you can rteally do it Alicia is talk to your kids and tell them how you feel and then let them make up their own minds.

That's what we are doing. Our kids will go to church with us until the day they say that they don't want to or they don't believe in God.

However, you all feel the same way about the pledge the way we (Christians) feel about not having the option of prayer in school. At least with the pledge you are given an option.

You believe in evolution and we believe in Creationism and we do not have that option of either/or.

Our children can not be taught what Christmas is about in school and I mean they are not even allowed to bring in red and green plates for Christmas parties, yet they are taught about the Muslim and Islam religions.

We will all have our differences as far as school and children are concerned until the Board of Education wakes up and gives kids an option of what classes they can take or want to take.

Junior has to take a science class so the school should send home a paper asking if Junior wants to take a class on Creationism or a class on evolution.

Instead of the pledge of allegiance or prayer, the children should be given five minutes of silence to pray or say the pledge to themselves or to even say a mantra.

Education should be just that. Education. Teach the kids Arithmetic, Science, Reading and Writing and history of Industry in the United States and the world. Give them History but make it unbiased history. When they talk about how our forefathers came over here to start a new life and talk about the wars we had for our freedom but also talk about how we slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Native American peoples all in the name of freedom and progress.

The world isn't a perfect place but it could be if kids today were allowed to be autonomous learners.

>However, you all feel the same way about the pledge the way we (Christians) feel about not having the option of prayer in school. At least with the pledge you are given an option.

Well, you always have the option of silent prayer. Those who don't wish to say the pledge, or say it as it currently stands, don't usually have any official option - kids have gotten into trouble for just that.

>Our children can not be taught what Christmas is about in school

I would think that the home is where that is supposed to begin, and in your church. Just as you have the option of beginning your day -- at home -- with prayer.

First, I am so disgusted with the public schools because of my experience and their hipocritical attitudes -don't get me started. Anyway, as a Buddhist the two minutes it would take you to do a short prayer in the morning during a moment of silence is worthless if a child wishes to meditate. A moment of silence may benifit those who are Christian but it is just another part of the day for the rest of us. As for mantra's, I spend a good 10 minutes chanting and that is for a short chant! Besides, most chants are spoken and that would be deemed disruptive.

Pray at home or use the time on the bus (or in the car) for prayer.



Actually this is why I am for homeschooling. Since anything I say will be completely off topic and really long I'll stop. Check out True Lessons of Public School