With a simple glance across any first hour, it would not take much to recognize that less than a handful of students are standing for the pledge, outnumbered by the mass majority of students who choose to sit. Which prompts the question: is the Pledge of Allegiance now obsolete?

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic of which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” 

These very words echo through West Chicago Community High School at approximately 7:55 a.m. every single day. The voice of senior Alexander Bradley is distinct through the speakers, subsequent to the brief moment of silence.

Written in September 1892, by Francis Bellamy, the Pledge of Allegiance is an ode to America, a promise of loyalty. The pledge was written to mark the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the Americas; in October of that year, Bellamy wrote the now-famous lines and students began to recite the pledge in school.

At West Chicago Community High School, some students stand when Bradley gets on the P.A. to recite the pledge, while others remain seated.

“It’s a nice thing to do. Honestly, I don’t care if people don’t say the pledge, or don’t stand: I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I mean, it is a respectful thing, but it doesn’t really bother me. I don’t really have a lot of pride in saying it. I just, kinda, say it,” Bradley said.

The choice to stand may be rooted in patriotism, or peer pressure.

“I stand for the pledge depending on how many other people stand because as a high schooler all we really care about is conformity. A lot of people I know don’t stand simply because nobody else does. We’re also in a time where we have little faith in our government, so patriotism amongst U.S. citizens isn’t at its strongest,” senior Lokai Romero said.

WEGO has a vast number of Hispanic students, and that number may factor into why or why not students are standing for the pledge, as students may feel more allegiance to another country. The lack of nationalism in today’s America directly translates into the reciting of the pledge. 

“I just don’t feel patriotic enough. I grew up in another culture that I feel more connected to,” senior Cristan Hernandez said.

It is undeniable that the Pledge of Allegiance has held great significance in American history, but over the past few years, the pledge has been a topic of controversy regarding its relevance. Conversation sparked when NFL football player Colin Kaepernick  took a knee during the National Anthem at a 49ers/Dodgers game. Though a simple gesture, Kaepernick’s message was conveyed.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said while trying to explain his stance.

He took a knee for civil rights, a topic for which he was passionate about, and brought attention to racial inequality. Kaepernick opened a Pandora’s box within the consciousness of white America, and the conversation his gesture sparked was undeniable. 

However, racial injustice may not play into the reason behind West Chicago students’ decision to remain seated for the pledge.

Forty-seven out of 50 American states require the pledge to be recited in classrooms daily. Besides Wyoming, Vermont, Hawaii, and Nebraska, all other states have laws regarding the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, including Illinois. 

That said, the decision as to whether or not to stand is within a student’s First Amendment rights.  In a Supreme Court case decided in 1943, the West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette case made sure of the fact students were not required to recite the pledge. And in the case of Tinker v. Des Moines – an important case for student newspapers as well – the Supreme Court declared that students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” 

Because of the United States’ history with the Pledge of Allegiance, it is clear that the ode will not be going anywhere anytime soon. The lack of nationalism in America today, and how it is displayed in schools should be eye-opening. The Pledge of Allegiance is United States history, but if it does not hold significance with students, then it soon will hold no significance at all.