The Pledge in Schools

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I remember it clear as day; it was the fall of 1986, laying out my best dress the night before and feeling the excitement of having the chance to ride the big yellow cheese. Once morning came, my mother burst into my bedroom saying "Time to wake up! Today is the day to be a big girl!" Clearly, not paying any mind to the words "big girl" my central focus was on riding the bus. Finally mother and I walked to the end our street; standing on the corner as if we were lost. I noticed more people coming to the corner with kids and I started to get nervous. Just because they were strangers to me. The bus finally arrived, by that time my heart dropped to my toes. My mother pushing me on, but without her by my side. I was petrified, not knowing anyone, feeling alone and when was the next time I would see mother again. The big yellow dream that revolved into a nightmare finally stopped at an enormous building that was bursting with kids at the domicile, making my nerves even worse. There were teachers' who helped us to our classroom; so they called it. As we settled into our desks, the teacher brought our attention to the front corner of the classroom where an American Flag hung. She said that we were going to learn some very important words. In fact, they are so important that we will start everyday with these words. These words we would share and we would stand proud together as one. The words that the teacher taught us were the Pledge of Allegiance. As we said the words together for the first time, my nervousness' went away. We all were fitting in, not because we all messed up the words but because we were sharing a love for our fatherland and we were unified. However, in today's schools the Pledge is occasionally left out of the classroo... ... middle of paper ... ... religious exercise?"UnderGod.ProCon.org. http://undergod.procon.org/view.answers.php? questionID=000072 (accessed May 11, 2011). ProCon.org. (2009, May 29). Is the Pledge of Allegiance a religious exercise? UnderGod.ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://undergod.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000072 ProCon.org. "State Requirements on Pledge of Allegiance in Schools." UnderGod.ProCon.org. http://undergod.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000074 (accessed May 4, 2011). ProCon.org. (2008, October 24). State Requirements on Pledge of Allegiance in Schools. UnderGod.ProCon.org. Retrieved from http://undergod.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000074 Robinson, B. A. (2010, Feb 07). Pledge of Allegiance and its "under God" phrase. Retrieved May 11, 2011, from ReligiousTolerance.org: http://www.reigioustolerance.org/nat_pled.htm

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