What is this thing about Kids not saying the Pledge in schools?

[hunter]

17. I didn't say the pledge when I was in school, adding to my well earned reputation as a freak.

My mom was Jehovah's Witness until they booted her out of their church. And then we were Quakers. The Quakers were the only religion that accepted my mom's particular brand of talking-dirctly-to-God-and-He-answers crazy. Catholics and JWs not so much. Short-circuiting the hierarchy by asking God directly and hearing the answer is not allowed in many religions. The Quakers are okay with that. Say what you will, they nod their heads respectfully and move on.

When I was teaching in public school not many teachers were leading the pledge in homeroom so the principal decided to do it over the intercom with a few volunteer students (set up by patriotic parents) to lead. Great honor to speak into the microphone.

In my classroom it was a moment of respect. About a third of the students participated, the others were quiet. Probably a third of my classes had parents who were not US citizens, a third were afraid I'd call their parents if they disrupted my class, and the rest were patriots like their own parents, terrified I might call home if they disrupted the ceremony. Your kid disrupted the pledge. Horrors!

It was in my contract that I should lead the pledge but nobody ever said anything about participating myself. The "under God" part still irks me. According to my upbringing a guy could go to hell for that.