Pledge Of Allegiance

[OldApostate]

Don't you wish your daughter was in MY kindergarten class? LOL

 

Yes, absolutely. We (my ex and I -- he's pretty much apathetic as to religion) had her in a secular daycare before this, which we really liked. We had elicited firm assertions from them that they were absolutely secular. Unfortunately, the toddler teacher wasn't particularly. I walked in one day and saw the nice new Noah's Ark rug. After questioning my daughter, I let it go because I think that Noah's Ark has sort of reached folk tale status and that seemed to be the way it was presented in the school. However, I was very irked when she came home around Christmas talking about angels. I had convinced her that they were mythological beings, something like fairies, and the toddler teacher told her I was wrong.

 

SO annoying, but, again, something I think that we're going to have to deal with as secular parents in a Christian society. I am still considering starting at the local Unitarian church (which has an atheist minister and largely atheist congregation), just so we can claim a religion and not appear to have a "void" that so many people are compelled to attempt to fill. It just really bugs me that people feel that how they raise their child with religious beliefs deserves respect, but we are not accorded the same.

[RankStranger]

I don't have any kids... but for what it's worth, I think that at her age, the pledge is pretty meaningless. I'd just let it go. A man's got to pick his battles... and this one doesn't seem worth bothering with.

 

I'm not a parent and I don't know what it will do to a child if he/she is singled out by making an issue of this.

 

That said, I respectfully disagree.

 

The pledge is patriotic indoctrination that takes advantage of children at their most trusting stage in life. When you are older and you feel goosebumps as the anthem plays and you feel the need to send your sons off to war, when you feel that your counry is somehow the best country amongst all other countries, it all started with early age indoctrination.

 

It is certainly not meaningless.

 

That's an interesting point about the goosebumps. I still get them, and you'll not likely find a less 'patriotic' (in the Toby Keith sense) American than myself. So you're right- this issue isn't "meaningless" even to a kid that young.

 

And don't get me wrong- I've got no love for the Pledge any more than the "under god" phrase. I won't recite it, nor will I do anything more than stand up for the national anthem (and that, only because I'm not looking to make a scene). Matter of fact, I flipped a drunk off the other day at a demo derby when he decided that I should've removed my hat. I'd be happy to see the Pledge stripped of God and banned from publik skool... but I just don't see it happening.

 

But about OldApostate's kid. I'm operating on the assumption that the kid is in public school and that OldApostate isn't made of money. Unless she has the resources to sue or otherwise strike fear in the hearts of the administration... then making a big deal over this relatively minor issue is only going to result in the kid being singled out, probably berated by the teacher, etc. I think the kid would be better off if this was treated as a non-issue.

[OldApostate]

But about OldApostate's kid. I'm operating on the assumption that the kid is in public school and that OldApostate isn't made of money. Unless she has the resources to sue or otherwise strike fear in the hearts of the administration... then making a big deal over this relatively minor issue is only going to result in the kid being singled out, probably berated by the teacher, etc. I think the kid would be better off if this was treated as a non-issue.

 

I'm not made of money, but I also don't pay legal fees.

 

In any case, I don't think it's a "non-issue," but I think that secular parents have to face these issues so frequently, they'd spend forever in court if they got aggressive every time. I agree with most here that the discussion route is the way to go.