When I was in school I got in a shit load of trouble when I first started to refuse to stand and pledge allegiance. In elementary school they played and made us to sing God Bless America then pledge to the flag, middle school through High school they played the star bangled banner but no singing required then pledge. They let me off the hook over the pledge when I insisted that I would start doing it if they forced another kid who abstained from doing it becasue he was a jehova's witness or some shit. They even tried to say I wasn't excused because I needed a note from my parents and that the JW kid had a note from his parents and the leader of his local church. I still remember the principal from back then. He wore the same sport coat everyday with different shirts and ties. He and the janitor were the only 2 men in my elementary school.