Hemant Mehta is the founder and editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, a YouTube creator, and podcast co-host. He is a former National Board Certified math teacher in the suburbs of Chicago. He has appeared on CNN and FOX News and served on the board of directors for Foundation Beyond Belief and the Secular Student Alliance. He has written multiple books, including I Sold My Soul on eBay and The Young Atheist's Survival Guide. He also edited the book Queer Disbelief.
A couple of months ago, the superintendent of Florida’s Santa Rosa County District Schools was upset after students were reminded — through signs on classroom walls — that they didn’t have to stand up during the Pledge of Allegiance. In his mind, forced recitation of the Pledge was both patriotic and a requirement in state law. He was wrong on both counts. Saying the Pledge is optional and no student can be punished for refusing to participate. As I said before, the students who choose to remain seated may even be more patriotic because they know it’s wrong to force people to say we’re a nation “Under God” or that we have “justice for all” when that’s just not true in practice. Read more
