On Tue, 30 Mar 2004 14:15:01 -0500, Bob LeChevalier
<lojbab@lojban.org> wrote:

Steve Canyon <Stevencanyon@yahoooooooooo.com> wrote:

Hard to tell what you meant but since you asked- the one that was
passed in 1954 that put 'Under God' in the official pledge and then
the one that requires all schools to use that pledge in mandated
patriotic excercises.

Those were laws?

Yep

4 USC 4

Sec. 4. - Pledge of allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag: ''I pledge allegiance to the
Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which
it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and
justice for all.'', should be rendered by standing at attention
facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in
uniform men should remove any non-religious headdress with their
right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the
heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and
render the military salute.

And for Virginia, here is the (lengthy) law on teaching the pledge to
kids and having it said daily (other states will have different laws):

§ 22.1-202. Instruction in history and principles of flags of United
States and Virginia; pledge of allegiance to American flag;
guidelines developed by the Board.

A. Instruction in the history and principles of the flag of the United
States and the flag of the Commonwealth shall be given in one or more
grades in every school division. The instruction shall include the

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

pledge of allegiance and the appropriate etiquette and conventions

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

for respecting the dignity and appropriate display of such flags.

In recognition of the civic heritage of the United States of America,
all students shall be required to learn the Pledge of Allegiance and

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

to demonstrate such knowledge.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

B. To promote compliance with constitutional restrictions as well as
observance of constitutional rights, the Board of Education shall, in
consultation with the Office of the Attorney General, develop
guidelines on constitutional rights and restrictions relating to the
recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the American flag in public
schools.

The Board's guidelines shall include, but shall not be limited to,
provisions which address the following: the initiative and
involvement of local school boards, individual schools,
administrators, teachers, and students; the propriety and
constitutionality of any recitation or participation requirements;
appropriate etiquette and conventions for respecting the dignity and
appropriate display of the flag of the United States and the flag of
the Commonwealth; and relevant state and federal constitutional
concerns, such as freedom of speech and religion.

These guidelines shall not be subject to the requirements of the
Administrative Process Act (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.). However, to provide
appropriate opportunity for involvement by the general public,
teachers, and local school boards, the Board of Education shall
conduct public hearings prior to establishing such guidelines. Thirty
days prior to conducting such hearings, the Board shall give written
notice by mail of the date, time, and place of the hearings to all
local school boards and any other persons requesting to be notified
of the hearings and publish notice of its intention to hold such
hearings in the Virginia Register of Regulations. Interested parties
shall be given reasonable opportunity to be heard and present
information prior to the adoption of such guidelines.

C. Each school board shall require the daily recitation of the Pledge

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

of Allegiance in each classroom of the school division and shall

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ensure that the flag of the United States is in place in each such

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

classroom. Each school board shall determine the appropriate time

^^^^^^^^^^

during the school day for the recitation of the Pledge. During such

^^^^^^^^^^^

Pledge of Allegiance, students shall stand and recite the Pledge

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

while facing the flag with their right hands over their hearts or in

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

an appropriate salute if in uniform; however, no student shall be

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

compelled to recite the Pledge if he, his parent or legal guardian
objects on religious, philosophical or other grounds to his
participating in this exercise. Students who are thus exempt from
reciting the Pledge shall remain quietly standing or sitting at their
desks while others recite the Pledge and shall make no display that
disrupts or distracts others who are reciting the Pledge. School
boards shall provide appropriate accommodations for students who are
unable to comply with the procedures described herein due to
disability.

The school board's code of conduct shall apply to disruptive behavior
during the recitation of the Pledge in the same manner as provided
for other circumstances of such behavior.

D. The Office of the Attorney General shall intervene on behalf of
local school boards and shall provide legal defense of the provisions
of this section.

Note that it provides exemption for those who object to saying the
pledge, but they are not allowed to leave the room. Note also that
those kids who object to saying the pledge still have to learn it.

All of this in *law*, with the words "under God" in there by specific
act of Congress.

lojbab

Also, What would that do to a kid to be the only one out of his whole
class who doesn't recite? It could leave him severely alienated and
emotionally scarred right when he is growing up. Kids can be pretty
mean and irrational. I can remember when I first heard there was no
Sant Claus. The last week has been rough :-).

Joe Milon
Eliminate the WMD to reply - This reduces mail from republicans since
they can't find the Weapons of Mass Destruction.