On April 19, a bill passed in the Oregon House that requires schools to set aside time every day for students to recite the Pledge of
Allegiance, which currently occurs on a weekly basis in Oregon public schools. After passing the House 48-10, there is now talk that HB2806 may not make it through a Senate primarily made up of Democrats.
It’s nice to know that the Oregon government is spending its work days promoting patriotism rather than a funded education system. Oregon schools have been in the tank for years. Unless members of the GOP are planning to donate a dollar to the school system every time the pledge is recited, they should move patriotism off the plate and concentrate on providing students with an adequate education. That means newer textbooks and better-paid teachers, not an extra 10 seconds each day to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
Although students are never required to recite the pledge, it is worth mentioning that many consider it to be a religious speech. Though it might seem cliché, the phrase “under God” truly is alienating to many. It’s not fun to listen to every classmate and teacher stand up and proclaim that the United States is made great and admirable because of a higher power if you do not believe it; having to hear such a proclamation every day would be understandably distressing.
There is also a social pressure to recite the pledge if everyone else is doing it. Such pressure is unfair to impose on students in a public educational institution, where they should be protected from such influence.
Another point to consider is the necessity of such a bill in the first place. Republicans in favor of HB2806 claim the bill will instill citizenship, patriotism and respect for the flag.
Are we currently experiencing some sort of patriotism deficiency? Do Oregon schools score low on nationwide scales of both state funding and country lovin’? Or maybe this is about that recent epidemic of second and third graders found desecrating the flag with gelatin pudding snacks while chanting that they hate America.
Our nation has come to treat patriotism as the golden ticket to ending terrorism, gaining allies and promoting the economy. Will patriotism save our schools as well? Not likely. As fun as it is to toot our own horn, it’s about time for the United States to step down from the soapbox and concentrate on issues other than the United States’ image.
The GOP is making a mockery of everyone involved in the education system with its
decision to spend time promoting the Pledge of Allegiance while failing year after year
to come up with a feasible plan to fix
Oregon’s sad, underfunded state of public
education. We hope both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate will make their decision a swift one. As long as there are other governmental issues to be dealt with and the question of religious violation remains, the Oregon Senate should take a stand and vote against HB2806.

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