Did saying the Pledge of Allegiance in school mean anything to you?

[Anonymous]

I'm a HS teacher who does not say it nor do I stand for it.
Most kids don't nowadays.
Thank god we've evolved.
There are still a few conservative parents who hate me for it (and say so to the principal). Neither she nor I care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. It meant that I was being encouraged to lie -- or that the government was telling me to lie, possibly so that I would believe the lies that we were collectively reciting.

I attended a racially segregated elementary school where "Brown vs Bd of Ed" hadn't changed much. I remember saying to a teacher, "it says: 'and Justice for All' and that's not true". The teacher did not respond directly to my comment, but, instead, spoke with me about the importance of showing respectful behavior.

I don't remember saying the pledge in school after I left elementary school. I later worked in schools, and was struck by the images of young children, dressed in uniforms, parroting this "pledge" -- often in communities that still hadn't received "Justice for All". For me, rather than feeling some communal sense of patriotism or loyalty or identity, saying the Pledge of Allegiance is one of the things that made me question the supposed ideals of America vs my own reality and experiences from a very early age.

Which is kind of a good part of having said it right? It's where you learned how things were meant to be, so you could stand up and say "they aren't!" Repeating "liberty and justice for all" every day of school throughout childhood is probably a good reminder that we need to keep fighting for that in our imperfect union. We could change some of the words though, "pledging" is weird and not everyone believes in God, so those are passe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nope. I went to a Catholic school and we added "the born and unborn" after "liberty and justice for all." Pretty clear, even to kid me, that it was intended as indoctrination, and even then I thought it was kind of weird.

Oh, I have never heard of that addition to the pledge. Yes that is odd.

My Catholic elementary school did this too. When I later went to public school, everyone else stopped talking after “and justice for all” and stared at me after I dutifully droned “born and unborn (yes, really). I had no idea it wasn’t actually part of the pledge.

It is indoctrination and it’s so gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Nope.

[Anonymous]

It odd for me. I’d probably say it was meaningless but…

When I was in 1st grade my teacher/nun decided to punish me for some minor offenses by hitting me with a ruler.

I immediately (at 5) went to the principal (I was the 7th of 7 kids) and “reported” the teacher. My mom showed up and was pissed, I was forced to either unenroll or go back to class, so I obviously went back to class. My mom was sad. She told me to suck it up.

For 1 year I refused to stand for the pledge and morning prayer. The nun said “ are you just gonna sit” and I said “yes”. I remember that it mattered ..to her.

I’m sure I stood the next year and after. Don’t remember actually.

Still can believe she hit me, in 1st grade, in front of everyone in my class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope. Waste of time for the most part. But I do see the value in teaching patience.

This. I actually never had it in school. I went to a Friends school K-8 and my public HS never did it.

I had a short public school teaching career and there was one year an admin said it over the PA. I wanted my students to at least stand, not because I cared about the dumb pledge, but because I wanted to set the tone in the classroom that rituals and doing things as a group were important.

[Anonymous]

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

Because it expresses the crucial, foundational ideals on which our proud nation rests, and of which we need to remind Americans daily ( given how many soon forget), and

Because this is the United States.

[Anonymous]

I never attended a school where it was done - private school. But I find it creepy.

[Anonymous]

It had and has no meaning to me. Same with the national anthem.

I feel no allegiance to this country or the flag. I only feel an allegiance to myself and family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

Because it expresses the crucial, foundational ideals on which our proud nation rests, and of which we need to remind Americans daily ( given how many soon forget), and

Because this is the United States.

We are not a nation. And it expresses little. It’s a bunch of BS words.

Under God? What?
Indivisible? Yeah, sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

Because it expresses the crucial, foundational ideals on which our proud nation rests, and of which we need to remind Americans daily ( given how many soon forget), and

Because this is the United States.

Why do we need to remind people? Do you mean children?

What are we reminding them of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

Because it expresses the crucial, foundational ideals on which our proud nation rests, and of which we need to remind Americans daily ( given how many soon forget), and

Because this is the United States.

You sound like a kid saying, “because reasons”.

[Anonymous]

I find saying the Pledge very grounding. It's like taking that 'minute' to stop and think about our country, our history, what it means to you, in particular, to be an American.
Do you not stop for a moment of silence?

In a society where everything is instant gratification and go-go-go, I like that the pledge is still required. I mean, when else do you really think about what it is to be an American? I'm in my 50s and my thoughts don't go to that thought very often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, very meaningful.

It belongs in every school, without exception.

Why?

And why?

Because it expresses the crucial, foundational ideals on which our proud nation rests, and of which we need to remind Americans daily ( given how many soon forget), and

Because this is the United States.

We are not a nation. And it expresses little. It’s a bunch of BS words.

Under God? What?
Indivisible? Yeah, sure.

Blah bi-di-blah blah blah

Whatever, kid