Pledge of Allegiance trial costs schools

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ACTON, Mass., Feb. 14 (UPI) -- An Acton, Mass., school district is being sued by parents over the wording of the Pledge of Allegiance, which they say discriminates against atheists.

The anonymous parents of three children in two Acton schools -- filing as John and Jane Doe -- are suing the district to have the words "under God" removed from the pledge, saying it is discriminatory against their children who are being raised as atheists, WHDH-TV, Boston, reported.

The attorney for the parents, David Niose, said: "That suggests that people who don't believe in God are less patriotic than others, and that's just not the truth. Humanists and atheists are citizens, they pay their taxes, they get good grades."

Dr. Stephen Mills, superintendent of the Acton-Boxborough school district, told WCVB-TV, Boston: "There's absolutely no recrimination, no negative consequences ever against a child who chooses not to say the pledge, or in this particular case, simply say the pledge and not say the words under God." Mills said he is obligated by state law to have students say the pledge.

The case, which began a year and a half ago, will likely reach the state Supreme Court by the fall.