New House bill would make Pledge of Allegiance mandatory at school if passed through legislature

North Dakota State Capitol Building

Eight representatives and three senators are sponsoring House Bill 1222, which would make the pledge of allegiance mandatory at the beginning of the school day.

Students could be excused from doing so with parental consent. A sponsor of the bill, representative Anna Novak said she see the bill as a way to promote reverence for the flag and country. The ACLU and North Dakota Schools Boards Association believe that requiring the pledge of allegiance is unconstitutional and the school districts could be vulnerable to lawsuits.

The House Education Committee did not make any moves on Tuesday.