Civil Rights/Civil Liberties

Topic: Civil Rights/Civil Liberties

Source: CNN Politics. By Bill Mears

Date: March 11, 2010

Title: Court clears reciting of Pledge of Allegiance at Western schools

The 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, based in San Francisco, California, ruled 2-1 Thursday that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion, prohibited by the Constitution. This means that Public schools in Western states can continue teacher-led saying the Pledge of Allegiance. The appeals court ruled that recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance "serves to unite our vast nation." The court case is Newdow v. Rio Linda Union School District and the court ruled against the atheist parents. The ruling applies to the 11 states and territories in the West covered by the 9th Circuit. The same appeals court also ruled separately Thursday, upholding the use of the words "In God We Trust" on U.S. money. One atheist parent claimed that the daily recitation interfered with her right to direct her child's upbringing and that it instructed her child with the belief that God exists. Although students are not required to say the pledge, many parents feel that their children will face social pressures to state the pledge. In dissent to Thursday's ruling, Judge Stephen Reinhardt said the pledge was an overtly religious message.

This ruling is an account of civil rights and liberties. The atheist parents don’t want their children to say the Pledge of Allegiance because of the “under God.” Even though the students are not forced to say the pledge, there are many social pressures which will cause many of them to say it. These atheist parents call for the separation of church and state, but the court ruled against them stating that the pledge "serves to unite our vast nation." This ruling is against the separation of church and state. I believe in God as well as stating the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools. I feel that the pledge does unite our nation, and that if someone feels uncomfortable saying the part “under God” that they should be silent for that part. The first amendment does state the freedom of religion, so under that, I believe that public schools should be able to say the Pledge of Allegiance in class.

CNN Article

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/11/pledge.of.allegiance/index.html?npt=NP1