MN: Three suspended for not standing for pledge

We read:

"Three small-town eighth-graders in Minnesota were suspended by their principal for not standing Thursday morning for the Pledge of Allegiance, violating a district policy that the principal now says may soon be reworded to protect free speech rights. ... The head of the Minnesota American Civil Liberties Union said that the school's actions against the students are unconstitutional, and his office informed the district of that today in a strongly worded letter."

Source

The ACLU is clearly right on this one. The case above does not seem to involve religion but various groups (e.g. Quakers) have religious objections to the pledge so the first amendment clearly protects their freedom of religion. I am rather surprised that the pledge has lasted so long, given its plain violation of the first amendment in such cases. A voluntary pledge is OK of course.

Posted by John Ray.