Everyone’s favorite classroom debate is coming to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on Wednesday. The family of an anonymous Boston student is arguing that the “under God” portion of the Pledge of Allegiance is discriminatory against atheist students and violates the Equal Rights Amendment of the state’s constitution. It’s the first case brought to court on a state level, and with the charge that the phrase is unconstitutional. The defense lawyers say because reciting the pledge is optional, there’s no legal violation, but the plantiffs’ lawyer calls the opt-out “exlusionary” and ostracizing.
