ND School Board Reverses Decision to Reject Pledge of Allegiance After Backlash from Public

A school board in North Dakota has reversed course on a decision to cancel the Pledge of Allegiance after claiming it wasn't "inclusive" and didn't align with the district's diversity code.

In an 8-1 vote, the Fargo School Board decided last week to change its decision not to say the pledge before its bi-weekly meetings, after receiving complaints from conservative lawmakers and angry backlash from people around the country.

Earlier this month, the board voted 7-2 in favor of removing the pledge because Board Vice President Seth Holden took issue with the verse–"under God". 

"Given that the word 'God' in the text of the Pledge of Allegiance is capitalized," Holden said. "The text is clearly referring to the Judeo-Christian God, and therefore, it does not include any other faiths such as Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, all of which are practiced by our staff and students."

The school board decided to incorporate the pledge after passing a motion on March 22. In early August, members voted in favor of removing it. 

"I'm just not sure that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance is a useful way to begin every one of our board meetings," Board President Tracie Newman told InForum at the time. "I would much prefer that we open our meetings with a shared statement of purpose that would bring us all together to do the work of the board."

The move sparked national outrage with some members receiving multiple threatening emails and voicemails.

As CBN News reported, social media reaction to the news of the board's announcement was swift. 

One person tweeted, "Disgusting. The Fargo School Board's decision is an insult to the values of our Great Country and to everyone who has given their life to defend our liberties. The School Board's assertion that the Pledge of Allegiance violates their so-called 'diversity rule' is absurd."

Another user wrote, "Hello! Holy Moses!  Wokeism In Fargo, North Dakota! So who or what does Fargo North Dakota pledge allegiance to? To themselves?" 

Board member Nyamal Dei, who cast the lone "no" vote shared a voicemail recording in front of the board. According to Inforum, the recording contained vulgar, hateful, and racist language. 

Newman called for a special meeting last Thursday to reinstate the pledge. 

Holden and several other members hesitantly voted in favor to resume reciting the pledge. At the meeting, Holden said he was embarrassed and disappointed by the public's reaction to the decision.  

"There's a war on public education. The question I'm struggling with in my head that has gone on in the past week is do you concede the battle to win the war?" Holden said.

Holden added that he felt misinformation played a role in the public's outrage.

In a memo, Newman made clear that the board's earlier decision did not affect the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in school buildings by students and staff, nor did it remove the phrase "under God." 

"The action taken at the meeting was not to negate the board's support of patriotism, the love of one's country or support of the flag of the United States," Newman's memo said.
 

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