Written by Don Byrd
Following a letter from the New Jersey ACLU, a public elementary school in Haddon Heights has halted its practice of having children proclaim “God Bless America” after reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The ACLU argued the practice violates students’ religious freedom rights by improperly promoting religion.
Philly Voice reports:
“Our Constitution is clear,” ACLU New Jersey Legal Director Ed Barocas said. “Schools can’t impose religion on children. Parents, not government, have the right to direct the religious upbringing of their children.”
[Principal Sam] Sassano acknowledged the ACLU’s arguments in his letter. But he said Glenview administrators view the recitation as an act of patriotism, not religion.
…
Barocas disagreed . . . “While the phrase has patriotic overtones, that doesn’t negate the phrase’s fundamentally religious nature of invoking God’s blessing,” Barocas said. “There are so many other ways, such as ‘united we stand’ to express patriotism and love of our country.”
The school district changed the practice rather than face the costs of a legal battle but insist there’s nothing wrong with leading children to exclaim “God Bless America.” Courts have not explicitly decided this issue, but even if such a practice is allowed under the Constitution, that doesn’t make it a good idea. Elementary school is not the right place to compel appeals to God.
