The Victoria Advocate: Pledge Policy "Compliant" with State Law, but What About Democracy?

In Victoria, Texas, where I grew up, here's a good example of the "coercive requirement to affirm God".

"The Victoria schools' policy is in compliance with state law concerning the Pledge of Allegiance, communication specialist Diane Boyett said.

The Texas Education Code states: 'The board of trustees of each school district shall require students, once during each school day at each school in the district, to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States flag.'

The law also requires a minute of silence following the Pledge of Allegiance.

In Victoria schools the pledge is recited daily.

However, Boyett said, a student is not required to participate if a parent or guardian turns in a written request for exemption."

I think that this is quite an interesting case in point. Texas law requires students to "pledge" every day. Yet, doesn't this requirement essentially deprive them of free-will in the matter? Isn't the "written exemption request" a form of "blacklisting"? Why require the "exemption request" from a parent when students should have their own say in the matter?

Clearly, this is a stringent requirement. Is this democracy?