Federal Appeals Court Upholds Pledge of Allegiance Ruling

March 1, 2003

Source: The Washington Post

On March 1, 2003 The Washington Post reported that "federal appeals court yesterday voted to let stand its much-criticized ruling banning teacher-led recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, a decision that sets the stage for a possible battle in the Supreme Court over patriotism and religion... The court did take one step back, however. Its original ruling not only barred schools from sponsoring the pledge but also struck down the 1954 federal law that officially added the words 'under God' to the pledge -- thus making the pledge itself unconstitutional. That was omitted from an 'amended' version of the court's opinion issued yesterday."