Pledge of Allegiance dropped due to Muslim families.

Culture: I love a ready made controversial story as yet another example of multiculturalism and mushy sap principal killing off a tradition. But lets give her a point for replacing it with the preamble though she is going to catch hell for the main reason she replaced it.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The exclusion of the Pledge of Allegiance from a southwest Portland elementary school's ceremony has proved upsetting for a local mom. Departing fifth-graders at Capitol Hill Elementary usually open their promotion ceremony with the Pledge of Allegiance - but not this year. "I was sad," said parent Briana Reese. "The flag was sitting up there, you know. Two of the kids went up and they said 'Everybody rise,' and we rose, and I thought for just a second 'Oh yeah, we're going to put our hands on our hearts and we're going to salute the flag' - but no." Reese had heard that the principal planned to take the pledge out of the ceremony. "I think that's what they should be doing - telling kids you should be pledging your allegiance to this country," Reese said. "This is a great country. You're here for a reason." The pledge was instead replaced with a singing version of the preamble to the Constitution. KATU tried repeatedly to talk with Principal Pam Wilson but got no results. However, in an e-mail response to Reese's questions, she explained the pledge was removed "out of respect for the diversity of religious faiths."

But she only included one in the email.

The following is the full e-mail response that parent Briana Reese received from Principal Pam Wilson: "The Pledge contains the words, 'under God' and we have many Muslim families here. So out of respect for the diversity of religious faiths practiced by our school community (parents and families) we decided that this year the students would memorize and sing the Preamble to the Constitution. At the rehearsal on Friday they did it from memory and to a wonderful song. It was very joyful and unique. I think you, and other parents, will really appreciate the creative and new way to open the program."

So out of respect of diversity, you drop the pledge of allegiance which is spitting on the majority of students. That makes perfect sense. This is what multiculturalism does in the long run, downplay the host country while celebrating everyone else.