A school district in Maine has reinstated the Pledge of Allegiance following a lawsuit from a student’s father.
A father sued Maine’s Falmouth School Department in March after it failed to follow state law by not giving students the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The lawsuit urges the Cumberland County Superior Court to issue an injunction requiring them to shift and provide a structured opportunity to recite the pledge.
“The lawsuit highlights a straightforward violation of Maine law and the Falmouth School Department’s own policy,” attorney Jack Baldacci told the Portland Press Herald. “My client, Christopher Hickey, is seeking to ensure compliance so that his son Clayton, and all Falmouth students, can benefit from this important civic tradition. We’re optimistic the court will act promptly to reinstate it.”
According to a Maine statute, a school administrative unit “shall allow every student enrolled in the school administrative unit the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at some point during a school day in which students are required to attend. A school administrative unit may not require a student to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.”
Falmouth School Department Superintendent Steve Nolan told the Portland Press Herald that the district “remains committed to maintaining school practices that uphold the law, respect individual student rights, and foster a respectful learning environment for all students.”
“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,” said attorney Jack Baldacci.
