myFOXhoustonWebStaff's Blog

Vidor ISD is now giving its students the option of reciting the pledge of allegiance after a civil rights union disputed its policy.

The district's decision came after the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the district for disciplining a student who refused to stand for the pledge on Sept. 11, 2007, according to an official statement. The new policy goes into effect immediately.

"Students may wish to refrain from reciting the pledge for a variety of religious and political reasons, and the First Amendment protects their right do so as long as they don't disrupt other students," Legal Director of the ACLU of Texas Lisa Graybill said in a prepared statement. "We are delighted that the school board chose to adopt a policy that helps minimize the potential for not understanding the voluntary nature of the pledge, and we look forward to seeing the new policy implemented throughout the school district."

Vidor High School Senior Rosal Salas declined to participate in a classroom pledge, claiming she had neither stood for nor recited the pledge for several years, according to the document. But Salas was told the district's policy required her to stand and provide a written note from her guardian to be excused from reciting the pledge.

"I couldn't believe my beliefs were insufficient for my school," said Ms. Salas, an advanced placement student who has competed in UIL Literary Criticism and is president of the French club. "I was very upset, and shocked that the administrators were trying to make me choose between my beliefs and my education. But I'm glad that I had a chance to help convince the school board to change its policy so other students will be free to say the pledge or not, depending on their own beliefs."

The ACLU informed the district of the Constitution's First Amendment rights, and the school apologized to Salas, removing the disciplinary referral from her student record, according to the statement. The district then developed the new pledge policy, which was approved unanimously Dec. 18.

For more information, visit the ACLU Texas' Web site at http://www.aclutx.org.