FFRF has protected students’ rights of conscience at a New Jersey high school. A student reported to FFRF that an East Brunswick High School teacher singled the student out to talk about why they were not standing for the Pledge of Allegiance, and threatened to report the student to the grade level administrator for not standing.
In a letter sent on Oct. 30, FFRF Staff Attorney Madeline Ziegler informed the district that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that compelling a student to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance infringes upon students’ First Amendment rights.
A legal representative of the district responded on Feb. 12 assuring FFRF that all school staff members, including the specific staff member who had committed the violation, are not legally required to participate in the pledge.