Pledge Of Allegiance, recitation in schools Options

[simx]

I just wanna know what everyone thinks about this. Recently, for my AP government class we had to do an essay about wether reciting the pledge of allegiance in public schools was constitutional or not. This is pretty much what i wrote:

If the school officials force all the students to recite the pledge, then It is unconstitutional... Violates the Lemon Test, standard 2 I believe...

If it's voluntary to say the pledge during school, then it it doesn't not violate the Establishment Clause (passes the lemon test)

Anyone else have an opinion about this?

[antix10_kos]

When I was in high school, my school set aside time every Wednesday to say the pledge...(it may have been Friday, hell I don't remember). We only did the whole pledge thing once a week. I always thought that it was pointless. If the school officials didn't see it as important enough to set aside time everyday to do it, then why should I waste my class time to stand up, say it and then listen to everyone else's bs afterwards?? Might as well stay seated, continue working and then hand in my homework before class was over and get the hell out of there.....

It's not unconstitutional to set aside time for it and the school, by federal law, cannot make students stand and say it of their own volition. There was an actual ruling some years ago about the pledge in schools and prayer in schools as well, I do believe, I just don't have the energy to google it right now....

The school has to have the parents permission to force or require students to do anything that is considered to be "optional" or in possible violation of any known religious beliefs....