I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic, and so on. Students at West get this speech pounded into their heads day after day during W-hour. The pledge is recited daily over the announcements while students are expected to stand and face the flag present in each classroom. Although it can feel somewhat cultish, many students use it as a way to show their pride in America, while others decide to remain seated.

The flag is viewed as a symbol of respect, whereas others do not see it as a symbol at all. Students who do not take pride in their country tend to not stand for the pledge because they don’t agree with the values instituted by it. The most commonly disagreed with phrases are “under God” and “liberty and justice for all” because the United States does not have an official religion and some citizens do not believe in a god. Other citizens do not believe that everyone has liberty and justice, which causes them to disagree with the pledge itself.

“I said no because the words ‘under God’ are simply not true for everyone,” one student said in an anonymous survey. “I also think it's almost disrespectful to say ‘justice for all’ when that is far from the truth in our society. Why should we have to hear that every day? I think there could be a better way to support our troops dead and alive, active or not.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, another student wrote that “It is incredibly disrespectful to not stand for the pledge. So many people fought for America to be the free country that it is today. It is very rude. I look down on people who don’t stand for it.”

While some people view sitting during the pledge as disrespectful, those sitting are merely exercising their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and expression. If standing for the pledge is required, it limits these rights. Those in support of requiring students to stand tend to contradict themselves when discussing how it is disrespectful not to stand and support the men and women who fought for the rights of this country, while the students sitting are exercising these same rights.

Students have the right to choose whether or not they want to stand for the pledge, and they should not be forced to. Some students feel pressured to stand to avoid ridicule. One student wrote “I don’t like to stand for religious reasons and other beliefs towards our country. Even though I don’t want to, sometimes I feel peer pressured into standing.”

Another student who strongly believes in standing for the pledge of allegiance wrote “People should be standing for the men and women who have died and sacrificed their lives for us. I have also started to make people who don't stand, stand.”

Students should not have to worry about choosing to stand or not to stand for the pledge. With America being a free country that many people take pride in, people should never feel pressured to hold back their beliefs. One student wrote, “I think people shouldn’t be shamed for not standing, like a certain student posting them on their Snapchat story. If it’s optional, I don’t see why it matters.”

Even though approximately 50% of students attending West believe the pledge should be required, it is unconstitutional to force them to recite the pledge day in and day out, and even worse to force them to stand for it. America is the so-called “Land of the Free” so the citizens, students included, should feel free to stand up for or sit down for what they believe in.

By Maggie Phillips

Oshkosh West Index Volume 118 Issue V

February 22, 2022

Daily pledge stands as option, one guaranteed by American freedoms