Should 6 year olds be forced to 'pledge allegiance'?

Question

do you think a kid that old knows what allegiance is, or even what a pledge is?
should we make pledges at home, and study at school?
Or how about we wait until kids turn 18 and let them choose allegiance pledging as an elective if they want that.

Answer 1

Good question. I'm going to give you a star. Not only is it indoctrination and meaningless mumbo jumbo for a child that age,I question why we have to SWEAR or PLEDGE allegiance every day of our whole life at school!

What is it with us? Are we all suspected of being closet traitors that we have to swear that we aren't every day for 12 years?

A citizen has to follow the laws of the land,pay taxes and not plot to overthrow the government by the use of armed force,and be drafted if the case arises. That's it folks. Nothing in our constitution that says we have to beat our breast everyday in public and proclaim that ,yes,we didn't wake up this morning with treasonous thoughts.

Good grief! By all means,let those who go in for these public displays of patriotic zeal pledge allegiance as much as they want to. But it shouldn't be cumpulsory at any age.

I was sent to the principal's office in my Junior year for keeping silent (respectfully)during the pledge and not putting my hand over my heart. That was all of 40 years ago! Principal was perplexed and could find nothing to charge me with.

Answer 2

I'm a teacher who leads her kids in the pledge of allegiance and I'll try to answer. The pledge is an easy way to start talking about what it means to live in America and be American. We talk about the flag's shape and the stars and what colors there are. Since my kids are special ed I must simplify a bit but we talk about what the colors mean. We also talk about the words of the pledge and what saying the pledge means. If any of my students want to refuse to say the pledge I'd let them and we'd talk about it as a class so that it became a learning opportunity to understand that choosing not to say the pledge is a freedom one has as an American. And kindergarteners understand more than you think, especially if you take the time to discuss the concepts with them. And standing at attention while they play the national anthem is a sign of respect for one's country. Learning good manners should be part of the school day.

Answer 3

I did the Pledge as a very young child,and quite frankly in a way you are right. After all I didn't really understand what it meant at that young age. In fact the moment I did understand it I stopped doing it,not because of the Pledge to the country,but because of the part where I am de facto also pledging my allegiance,or acknowledging my subservience to God. Which is what you are doing when you say Under God as part of the Pledge. So the question became "Why am I swearing an oath to a God I don't believe in"? Of course it caused me a bit of trouble in school,but it was well worth it.

Jack

Answer 4

Legally their pledge of allegiance isn't legit until they are adults anyways. Children can't enter into a contract, and thats basically what an aleegiance is. But they don't have to. If you don't want your kid to say the pledge of allegiance they won't force them to. They can go out in the hall and wait while they do it. Some schools might even let them stay seated, but not all because the teacher may feel it is disrespectful. But no school will force them to say it. Otherwise you could sue. That is what the ACLU is for.

Answer 5

What is the point of the pledge of allegiance? Does it make you a better person? maybe your grades would go up if you said it? If you refused to say it does that make you a terrorist?

The pledge of allegiance has no point in schools. If you want to say it fair enough, I wouldn't stop you. but why force someone who doesn't to have to? My fiancee was an A grade student (honors society) and was given her only detention after 9/11 for refusing to Pledge Allegiance. Did she later become a terrorist or hate America more than her fellow class mate who did say the pledge of allegiance, no.

Answer 6

My kids teachers told me that the pledge was used as just a recitation designed to settle them down for the school day.

I personally take offense to pledging allegiance to a piece of fabric, too much like worshipping a graven image for my tasts. I would prefer a pledge of allegiance to the constitution and bill of rights. But for little kids, it is just words and nothing more.

Answer 7

Ohh, so you are the loony left people here keep talking about. I am a liberal but I have no problem teaching kids the Pledge of Allegiance. If they or their parents don't like it, they don't have to say it. Teaching love in one's country is never a bad thing.

Answer 8

Well if you truly love the United States you wouldn't have a problem with this. And if you feel that it should be an elective, then you really need to reexamine yourself and your beliefs as an American. Would you say the pledge? If one chooses not to say it, then they have no right to live in this country.

I think a classroom full of six year olds saying the pledge of allegiance to start their school day is one of the most incredible things you can ever see as a patiotic American.

Answer 9

I'll go along with that when we stop forcing any social biases down our kids' throats. We brainwash them about global warming. We don't let them compete because it might hurt someone's feelings. We degrade the learning environment by forcing teachers to teach the juvenile delinquents, the retarded and the non-english speakers right along with the regular kids. Any more today, social engineering is done at our schools more than teaching. So, if we include patriotism in there...even a little bit...I'm OK with that.

Answer 10

No I don't think they should be forced to say something they don't want to. Think about it, if they say they don't want to, then I don't see why we should make them. Some six year olds are smart, we should account their intelligence before you make the assumption that they don't know what it is.