Every morning, thousands of students in Hollister and all over
the county stand with their hands over their hearts, look in the
direction of the stars and stripes and, together, pledge their
allegiance to the nation.
Every morning, thousands of students in Hollister and all over the county stand with their hands over their hearts, look in the direction of the stars and stripes and, together, pledge their allegiance to the nation.
The U.S. Supreme Court began proceedings Tuesday in a case that pits church vs. state, and Americans vs. Americans, questioning whether the Pledge of Allegiance should be banned from public schools.
Michael Newdow, a Sacramento father who says the phrase “under God” violates the national precept of separating church and state, is challenging this patriotic ritual.
Denise Dewenter, a teacher at Rancho San Justo Middle School, doesn’t understand why people don’t refrain from saying the “under God” part if they feel it’s inappropriate.
“I have my students say the pledge, because they’re pledging to their country, not to God,” Dewenter said. “All my life I have always just said ‘one nation, indivisible.’ If I want to worship God, I can do that at church.”
Dewenter spent Wednesday morning teaching her students the meaning of the “Star Spangled Banner” and the pledge. She said if more of them understood its meaning, they would have a greater appreciation for it.
Physical Education teacher Mary Hammond, who also teaches at Rancho San Justo, requires her students to stand and salute, even if they don’t want to say anything.
“We say it to respect those who are over in Iraq and all over protecting our country and our freedom,” Hammond said. “If they want to just stand in silence, they can. It’s a matter of respect.”
Rancho San Justo eighth-grader Hannah Alnas admits reciting the pledge on a daily basis can become routine. But, she said, to take it out of the schools would be a mistake.
“It means something,” Alnas said. “It’s a way for us to show pride in our country.”
San Benito High School Senior Elizabeth Medeiros said she hasn’t recited the pledge since her sophomore year, but when she did, she never saw it cause a problem in the classroom.
“Those who wanted to say it did, and those who didn’t still stood up,” she said. “I’ve never seen anyone have a problem with it.”
The religious and ethnic diversity of the United States is one of the things the country is founded on. American History teacher Geoffrey Holland said the pledge is important because it’s one of those things that makes us all equal and brings us together.
“It’s a common bond that everyone shares,” he said. “Some kids take algebra, and some take geometry, but reciting the pledge is something that makes everyone equal and puts them on the same playing field.”
Schools in California, unlike those in other states, are not required to recite the pledge. Each school district or individual school chooses whether they want to participate or not. However, California Education Code 52720 states that all California schools must participate in a “patriotic observance.” San Benito High School District Superintendent Jean Burns Slater said this could be anything from discussing history to watching a film.
“Taking out ‘under God’ is a hard one to call, and I’m glad I’m not in the Supreme Court having to make that decision,” she said. “However, the word ‘God’ is also on our coins, our bills and lots of other things, so there would have to be a lot of change made.”
An Associate Press poll released Wednesday said 87 percent of respondents said “under God” should remain in the pledge.
The Supreme Court is expected to make a decision within the next month.
