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SALT LAKE CITY -- A bill that would require all of Utah's schools to say the Pledge of Allegiance every day is getting a lot of interest.
The Pledge of Allegiance in schools, already a topic of some controversy, is getting more attention with the bill sponsored by Senator Aaron Osmond. Osmond has spent a lot of time in schools all over Utah, and says he noticed a lack of participation or engagement when the Pledge of Allegiance was done over the loudspeaker or intercom.
"I feel it's time to create a more intimate experience around the pledge of allegiance," he said.
He wants the pledge led by a student every day in the classroom. He also wants more consistency in high schools; state law currently requires a daily pledge in elementary schools, but is done only weekly in high schools.
"The whole goal is to create an environment where the kids think about and remember the blessings of living in this country, and those who have died for us so we can have the freedoms we enjoy," Osmond said. "They are in a public education setting where we have the responsibility to reinforce civic commitment and civic responsibility."
Osmond says no one would be forced to participate, which many parents and state leaders support, though he has heard from some wondering why it should be made law.
