California is one of the states that requires a public [del]loyalty oath[/del] display of patriotism (generally presumed to be the Pledge of Allegiance, although that is up to the local district). According to the ACLU web page on the topic
I seem to recall that after Newdow was thrown out for lack of standing, there was a rumor that a few teachers were going to get together to file their own challenge to the law, but I never heard about it again, so I have no idea whther it was just a rumor, whether the teachers backed out, or whether it is currently wandering through some court docket.
Part of the problem, of course, is that as a first year teacher, making waves is not a great career move. I dunno how I’ll handle it.
There’s a local school that I really liked on the couple of occasions on which I visited it; while the school is poor, they really seem to have done a lot with what they have, and the principal seems involved and interested in classrooms (both times I was out there, the principal approached me in the halls to talk with me). Recently, however, someone who’s worked at the school told me that he begins each staff meeting by leading a group prayer. I don’t know whether that should be a dealbreaker for me, if it’s true.
Daniel
Requiring recitation of the pledge is unconstitutional. Newdow’s challenge was based on his child being required to listen to it while it included “under god.”