Sioux Falls, SD (KELO-AM) The Sioux Falls School Boad Monday evening unamiously voted to require the pledge of allegiance each day in city high schools. It is already required in elementary and middle school.
The decision followed weeks of online and phone threats against board members, most of it apparently coming from outside South Dakota after the pledge story hit the national media. Last week, a phone survey of parents showed that about 70 percent of them wanted the pledge policy expanded to include high school.
Board vice president, Kent Alberty, tells KELO-AM, that it was the survey results not the cyber-bullying that influenced his vote. He says when cyber-bullying is allowed against adults it can't be any surprise that such behavior is accepted by school kids as part of life.
The pledge will be required each day, but no student will be forced to say it. Alberty says that high school teachers will begin following the new policy after the Thanksgiving holidays.