Is the Pledge of Allegiance that bad?

About 50 Boulder High School students walked out of class Thursday to protest the daily reading of the Pledge of Allegiance and recited their own version, omitting "one nation, under God."

They also say the daily reading of the pledge over the school public address system at the start of the second class takes away from education time and is ignored or mocked by some students.

As a result, the protesting students, members of the Student Worker Club have offered their own pledge:

First the original pledge:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

The Alternative Pledge:
"I pledge allegiance to the flag and my constitutional rights with which it comes. And to the diversity, in which our nation stands, one nation, part of 1 planet, with liberty, freedom, choice and justice for all."

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The law in Colorado about the Pledge states that it must be made available for recitation during school hours. Before this year, the high school had the Pledge recited in the auditorium and could be optionally attended by any student who felt so inclined. This year, the school moved the pledge to the beginning of second period.

The Student Worker Club argues that the new policy imposes the Pledge on students who are opposed to recitation, disagree with the phrase "Under God," or would simply rather be studying. Student Worker is also worried that the Pledge will be trivialized in the eyes of those who do wish to recite it by the vast majority of students who simply ignore the recitation and remain seated.

Student Worker’s goal was to move the pledge from being broadcasted over the intercom during second period to an optional recitation in the auditorium during lunch hours, not the removal of the phrase “under god” or recitation of the pledge itself completely.

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I am a bit miffed that the students chose to not mention "United States of America" in their alternative pledge. That is of course the country we are pledging allegiance to. Relegating to just "nation" seems to make it a bit shallow.

Back in middle school, we had homeroom first so everyone stands and recites the pledge as it is broadcasted over the loudspeaker and the aide takes attendance, and that's it. In high school, the pledge is recited at the beginning of first period class. It only takes about 2 minutes or so.

I doubt that these two minutes could be spent on studying. We are not doing some sort of elaborate ceremony here.

You are being asked to respect the flag, and if anyone feels they are slighted by the "Under God" phrase, they can just sit during the recitation and that's it.

Hopefully our national anthem won't get taken apart in the same fashion.

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Side note: It seems that only in New York, Yankee or Shea Stadium, we do a "God Bless America" song before the "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" song during the half of the 7th inning. Mind you that we take the song seriously because of what has happened to the city back on 9/11. The folks in the stands really do get angry if fellow fans do not take off their caps or talking during the song.