Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance is a public oath taken in public schools across the country as a public oath to the nation of the United States and its flag. Although the Supreme Court ruled in 1943 that no school could force a student to stand or recite the Pledge, critics of the practice argue that its presence in a public school violates the constitutional right to religious freedom, and that even an opt-out policy subjects students to discrimination or embarrassment if they choose not to participate while their peers are reciting. Pledging allegiance in school varies by district and is generally a state issue, though parents, teachers, and others continue to debate their schools' decisions.

The most vociferous opponents question a public school's apparent promotion of religious values and wonder whether a school-age child should feel compelled to declare a patriotic sentiment that he or she may not yet have developed, whereas supporters of the recitation frequently tout the Pledge's educational and civic value. In-school pledging allegiance to the United States flag remains a divisive personal and political issue, with roughly half of Americans in favor and half opposed.