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Forced recitation of the Pledge
The matter was settled by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1943, and that was in the middle of World War II. You can't very well claim liberal bias from that Court/era.
West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protected students from being forced to salute the American flag and say the Pledge of Allegiance in school.
Jehovah's Witnesses led the objection, since the Pledge literally violates the
1st Commandment, (the part about "thou shalt not have any other gods ... nor bow down before them or worship them ...").
The words of the Pledge commence: "I pledge allegiance to THE FLAG [physical object] OF THE UNITED STATES, and to the the Nation ..."
In other words, there is no legal difference between:
1 - "Class, place you hand over your heart and pledge allegiance to the FLAG"
and
2 - "Class, get on your knees and bow down before the Golden Calf"
Having said that, I agree that the kids were probably being smartasses.
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