This is real and it is frightening in a way. Parents can choose for their kids to opt out of The Pledge of Allegiance.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/08/23/parents-fuming-over-pledge-allegiance-waiver.html#

I mean,seriously? The pledge instills devotion,appreciation,and national pride. It is a symbol of what we enjoy and what we fought for. This is just another case of the whiny few getting their way. I shudder to think what is next. I did it every day in school without complaint. It should be treated as an honor to recite the pledge. I would love to hear what you think.

Everyone keeps screwing up america so I'm probably just going to move to some other place, probably canada for the weather and the friends and the lack of all of this bulls***

They broke it, I'm not sticking around to clean it up. If we fix everything they'll just break it again so I'd sooner just find somewhere else, somewhere far away from the people messing this country up.

They're turning america into not-america so I'd sooner be in some place that actually isn't america than a faux-USA.

I appreciate what our people fought for, but it's broken and we have nothing left. No hope, no pride, no freedom. It's not worth it anymore.

You were allowed to not say the Pledge of Allegiance since I was in school. Not sure why there has to be a waiver...

None of our teachers really get upset if somebody chooses to ignore it. Hell, we don't even realize it's happening half the time because we're too loud to hear it.

I don't mind doing it, not at all. I think this is pandering to the people who maybe aren't American or aren't comfortable with it for some other (legit) reason, rather than just for kids who don't want to do it just because.

America became Nationalism ever since WWI, time to let the baby boomers die (99% of them are to blame), restore the true meaning of freedom and fix the government.

Lots of replies here so I will try to address everyone.

yoshirulez!
People do keep screwing things up,but if someone does not put their foot down and hard it is just going to get worse. Running away is not the solution.

 Vanelan
It was mandatory in my school and day. This should not even be entertained as an idea. You say the pledge to show your support and loyalty.

Minuano
That may be true,but that is not an excuse for not saying it. You may be right on that,but as I told Vanelan,their idea should not be entertained.

mastergame
That is just sick...I admit a lot of wrong came from their generation,but they were also willing to work for something.My generation was horrible too and millennials are even worse.

Wow I mean the pledge of allegiance was always optional when I was coming up in school, although it wasn't pointed out as optional until about 7th or 8th grade when the teacher told a student it was optional and you didn't have to stand or put your hand over your heart but if you didn't do it you were expected to sit there silently and respectfully. Personally I think it's very disrespectful to not say the pledge since the pledge does in part involve thanking our military forces for their scarifies and ensuring our civil freedoms (like for example the freedom to not say the pledge ironically) but eh I suppose saying the pledge became more and more optional to people because of the amount of immigrants coming over and their children not really understanding the pledge is and what it means (not to mention it wouldn't be there nation so no national pride) but also I think people choose not to say the pledge because they disagree with certain actions of our military and the wars they get involved in, and or they just disagree with the government, either way whatever there reasoning is this is america and they have the freedom to not say the pledge so what can you do force them? (doesn't seem like a ideology of america since we're all about freedom and free choice)  

This might actually seem strange coming out of me as I'm sure a lot of people who've read my other politically oriented posts could see me as a patriotic American and a conservative. I'm not. I love freedom and I look up to the military and appreciate beyond words everything they've fought and died for, but the fact of the matter is that the common modern perception of patriotism is loyalty to your government, and that, while it's necessary to have a united people and a whole nation, nationalism is far too often used as a means to manipulate the blindly zealous. As of 2012, I am not a patriot, I am not an American and Old Glory is not my flag. I do not pledge allegiance to the flag or the republic for which it stands. My real family and nation are not those of blood relation or were born in the same country, but the people who share my passion for freedom and democracy, wherever they are.

Frankly, I think that if someone doesn't want to say The Pledge of Allegiance, they shouldn't have to say it. They should be encouraged to believe in it until they want to say it, not be bullied into doing so. This "waiver" business is sad, but I feel it's necessary to broker peace between rebellious children and teachers and parents that can not understand why a child wouldn't want to say The Pledge. I definitely feel the wording could use some work, though. "Excused from" is different from "allowed to not" in most minds, I feel. And "I request?" Better "I allow". Certainly the goal should be for all children to say The Pledge together. It can build unity and happiness. But if someone doesn't want to say it, making them say it upon threat of punishment is like slapping your child for eating a cookie when they should have had dinner. There may be exceptions to this, but that's certainly how I feel.

I was in the Marine Corps so I don't think my American pride nor my nationalism can be questioned.

Saying that, just because someone is in public school doesn't mean they're automatically expected to pledge allegiance to the United States of America and its flag. What about all the kids who are refugees from Syria because of war? Why do we have to make them American when they won't be here for the rest of their lives?

What about those who emigrate with parents and are decidedly Japanese, Russian, French, Brasilian, or any other nationality?

Just because you're at school doesn't make you automatically American. In fact, this country was founded on people coming from other places. We provide the schooling and education and if they pay taxes, cool, take advantage.

But expecting everyone to pledge their allegiance seems over the top to me. If they want to opt out, cool. The United States allows everyone opportunities but it allows them options too. People don't have to sing the National Anthem at sporting events, but it's polite if they stand.

Students don't have to pledge allegiance as long as they're respectful while those who want to go ahead and do so.

Does that make sense?

Ghostbear,let me stop you right there. I do come from a military family and we do value our freedoms. It is not about the pledge,it is the meaning and heart of it. I personally detest Obama,I think he is one of the worst to ever take the mantle as President. But I love America as a whole,as it should be.

I,myself,am a Heinz 57,with many nationalities in me. But I have always considered myself American. I think it is an insult when someone does not stand when the national anthem is played in public,like a sporting event. I also think it is an insult that kids do not recite the pledge in school. Maybe I am old,maybe I am set in my ways,but if one does not show respect for a country that has opened its doors to you,then they are disrespectful. They are being given an education,free of charge,until they graduate high school. They are being given opportunities that people in other lands could only dream of.

Oldschool777 : it's not about disrespect but more on the fact that someone might get bully for not doing it. On the Olympics, Douglas did not disrespect America, she never expected something so innocent to happen. That sir is called Nationalism, not freedom to choose or understand, often many times people misunderstand each other for what might have been innocent ideas.

People have different ideas on what is consider freedom and dictatorship, America is not a perfect example because even the Romans who invented democracy fail to bring freedom. 

It's just another silly case of Americans trying to erase anything involving Christianity. I hate it when they do that. No matter how you look at it, it appears some of the people who founded America were Christians (I think), and there are Atheists or people from another religion out there who don't want to talk about anything related to Christianity, so I kinda understand why they would do that. But it still doesn't make sense. Like mastergame said, it's not about disrespect, but I find it slightly disrespectful to not say it while everyone else is saying it.

ganondorf4ever : Actually, that's not entirely accurate.... A good deal of the founding fathers were either atheists or deists, and in fact not Christian. Deists believe that there is a creator, but that there is no intervention, and a lot of the founding fathers rejected the idea that Jesus was the son of God and chalked it all up to being the catholic church's tyranny.

Look up the Jefferson Bible and do some other research around the web on his religious beliefs and you'll get what I mean.

When you are on thrust onto the world stage,mistakes will happen. But when you should know better,that is when the blame and rage come out. Like the time Obama saluted Marines with a coffee cup in his hand. Now some might see that as an accident. I do not. He should have known better,he has advisors for that sort of thing.

mastergame : I have a question. You blame the Baby Boomers for our troubles but I don't understand why.

The Baby Boomers helped the Women's Movement in the 1960s and 1970s, bringing gender equality to the United States in stronger force than ever before. Women and men can be considered equals on the economic and political level now because of the freedom earned by the Baby Boomers.

The Baby Boomers were also instrumental for the racial tolerance and strides taken in the 1970s between black and white America. They led the charge to bring equality between African Americans and whites in the United States.

Without that generation, we would not be where we are today.

Why do you blame the Baby Boomers for our current situation? What did they do wrong?

I think the pledge should be optional. I think the fact that there needs to be a waiver to get out of saying the pledge is rather tedious and a bit overkill. I understand the pledge is important and all, but I think our right to free speech should be our "waiver". I don't believe it's right to have kids get a permission slip like they're going on a field trip to the zoo or something. I don't understand how it's acceptable to basically hate on the President, but it's not ok to abstain from saying the pledge. Can't have it both ways. 

ganondorf4ever : I don't really understand how getting kids to have waivers to abstain from the pledge is "erasing Christianity". It literally says the word God once in the whole thing. It's not the Our Father or the Holy Mary, it's the Pledge of Allegiance, dude. Also, I don't understand your point about how it's disrespectful to refrain from it, if everyone else is saying it. That logic is pretty flawed in my opinion. According to your logic, if the whole class refrained from saying the pledge, then it's not disrespectful, but if only one or two kids didn't say it, it's completely disrespectful. 

In my part, I really do not care at all anymore. This government is beyond power thirsty, going above the Constitution to give itself power over our lives in ways it does not have and was never meant to have, politicians get away with murder, racism, theft, and on the other side the world's biggest bankers are exempt from the law. Cops are encouraged to act however they want as long as they meet their quota and if not they are sent to jail watch as a punishment. This country is not what it was when indeed it was the greatest country in the world. The fact that those 2 jokers are our presidential candidates just shows how this country is fully controlled by the media. My freedom and my patriotism to what the government should be not what it is now. I respect those who serve and give everything but, I do not feel that they are necessary- they do not need to go out of this country to do half of the things they are forced to do specially when there is not a threat. I have many friends in service and I know the only incentive for them to go was money and all the pro's of serving your country- money is a piece of green paper that can lose value and serving your country is standing up against the ones destroying it- our own government. They made it so hard to make a living that many specially the young are lured into the service for a better future and a sense of purpose but, their government will abandon them once they are veterans - I have seeing homeless veterans in my city- I have given them food and money. This government is crooked because we are so busy believing the media and getting so side tracked by all these celebrities who do terrible things for Twits and Likes that we do not see what else is playing on the tv or read other news about all the attacks in other countries and US' role in playing  both sides. I do not pledge alliance anymore and I would never teach my children to but, that's my personal view and opinion- I respect everyone who does pledge alliance because they have the right and freedom to do as they find fit.

Ghostbear1111 : If anyone is to blame it is millennials who seek attention off negative thoughts or who use shock and awe tactics to make their opinion go viral. These are the ones on social media who complain about every little thing in life and have turned America into a politically correct nation (not that I support Trump or anything, just saying it's become the issue of our time).  Now I admit I am a millennial but I hate social media and do not feel the need to complain about such petty things like the pledge of allegiance or christmas decorations. If people do not like them fine what do I care. The pledge is the least of ones worries what they should be worried about homework and other children.

Ghostbear1111 : I don't know if any of those things are true because it's too big of a theory but many historians agree that baby boomers spend way too much money. this lead to us debt to be where it is now, they were responsible for the housing deflect not millennials or anyone else. also, they are responsible for Obamacare that many other generations do not care or need.

they hated the government way more than any other generation. sure you can say they had a reason but they killed JFK (conspiracy theory), didn't help stop Iran war but stopped the Vietnam war, and never once bother to fix the government in a legal way (they try to remove our internet). They created the "get a good education. Get a well-paying full-time job. Find a stable partner. Buy a house and a car. Preferably, have a child." the old people in the UK were responsible for the brexit, us younger people didn't see it coming.

The 1960s and 1970s were the time when most of the baby boomers bully black people, we have movies telling young boomers from age 20 to 30 about how awful they were to them.

Women did get some power but took forever to reach it (like until 2000), until then they were household wives you would see on many popular classic TV and sometimes are never seen as humans but more of ladylike. This change when color tv was seen, by that time many women were popular in leading the charge. Wonder woman is a good example, Batgirl too, and that one reporter who I can't remember.

Mexican American were treated badly, way more than it is now. in fact, many baby boomers hate Mexican American which can be seen from the overwhelming support for trump. Oh, that includes people from the far east (japan, India, china, etc).

so yes they are responsible for many things that went wrong and never bother fixing.