Maine High School Restores Pledge After Family Lawsuit

Clear Facts

• A Maine father and son filed a lawsuit alleging a high school failed to provide the daily Pledge of Allegiance.
• Maine state statute requires school units to offer students the opportunity to recite the pledge during the school day.
• District leadership said the high school will now provide a designated time for the patriotic ritual.

The Falmouth School Department in southern Maine recently changed its stance regarding the Pledge of Allegiance following legal action.

Christopher Hickey filed the lawsuit on behalf of his 10th-grade son after realizing the high school had ignored the practice for two years.

While elementary and middle school students in the district participated regularly, high schoolers were reportedly denied the civic opportunity.

This omission occurred despite a state law and district policy requiring a daily recitation period.

At Falmouth High School, students are welcome to say the Pledge of Allegiance if they choose, Falmouth Schools Superintendent Steve Nolan said in a statement.

Now that this matter has been brought to our attention, we have taken steps to provide an opportunity during the school day for students who wish to say the Pledge of Allegiance to do so during a designated time.

Attorney Jack Baldacci argued that the district only complied with established rules because of the pressure from the litigation.

He said the school had ample time to correct the oversight independently but failed to act until the suit was filed.

We are glad the district is now complying, and we hope this marks the beginning of a renewed commitment to the robust civic education every student deserves, Baldacci wrote.

The return to traditional values comes as national surveys show a decline in civic knowledge among many Americans.

This victory for the Hickey family ensures that students can publicly honor their country in accordance with Maine law.