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We said the Pledge of Allegiance right up until senior year. It's what happens when you grow up in a military community.
I stopped saying the pledge, however, somewhere during my last years in elementary school. I consider myself fairly patriotic, but I felt like pledging allegiance to the flag was like bowing down and worshipping it--and I will not worship a symbol. I am patriotic in my own way. Besides, does saying the pledge make one a patriot for life? (Remember, Timothy McVeigh said the Pledge of Allegiance!)
I did stand, however, because of basic fear of ostracism (hey, I was 9). I think that the Pledge, like one's choice of religion, is a personal choice which should not be forced upon anyone by a school...especially a public school. Maybe I'll move to one of those West Coast states...
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