When the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School decided to replace the Pledge of Allegiance in its morning student/parent meeting with a pledge to "school family, community, country and our global society," it felt the wrath of citizens and parents.



Elementary campus principal Lara Zelski reportedly moved the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance to individual classrooms because of concerns from some parents and students. Zelski told parents: "Over the past couple of years it has become increasingly obvious that more and more of our community were choosing to not stand and/or recite the pledge. There are many emotions around this and we want everyone in our school family to start their day in a positive manner. After all, that is the whole purpose of our morning meeting."



But after an Atlanta Journal-Constitution headline led to an apparent backlash, the decision was quickly reversed.



Georgia's Republican House Speaker David Ralston warned, "I'm sure our House Education Committee will examine whether taxpayer funds should be used to instill such a divisive ideology in our students."



Meanwhile, the chairman of a Connecticut school district's board of education resigned after the board voted to begin each meeting by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.



Josh Adams, chairman of the New Hartford Board of Education said he doesn't pledge allegiance to anything but supports "principles on which the country was founded."

