My opinion has changed with the times, I think you handled it perfectly. When my thinking was different I was not in tune with the oppressed, know that I am I stand with them, or sit... I have much more of a world view now than I did in 1976 when I was 13 and waving a flag in New York Harbor for the bicentennial. Love this country and it’s Flag but until it waves equally for every American it will never feel like it did in 76... That said, I refuse to allow Republicans and the GOP hijack our symbols, half mast until conditions improve! I’m a New Yorker who believed in the great melting pot... I want us to be the country the Statue of Liberty stands for... if we don’t fix things soon I’ll have to start Looking towards Brooklyn when I’m on the Staten Island ferry.

I was raised a Jehovah's Witness myself and now that I'm out I feel personally it's wrong to compel anyone to stand for the pledge or the anthem.
Regardless of the reason...Forced patriotism isn't patriotism..Its facisim plain and simple...

I'm also a vet..Just got out in August and I fully support a person's choice to stand or not to stand and when people say it's insulting to our military..No I feel it's insulting to try and force people to take these steps because you're supposed to have the right to do so because of the military... Also if a person sits or takes a knee or whatever as a form of protest..Well hey that's cool too! It's a peaceful protest and to me that's just awesome!

I'm a school librarian, and I spend the first 20 minutes of every school day in an elementary classroom for academic intervention (which is really just some worksheets they call "morning work.) This year, I'm in a third grade classroom. I'm in there during the pledge which is lead by some high school students on the morning announcements which are played on the screen.

I stand and say the pledge, but I don't say "under god." Sometimes, I see a kid trying to take a peek at me because I think someone has realized that I don't say it and has spread the word, and they want to check for themselves. So, just to be tricky, I sometimes make a light cough or scratch my nose (obscuring my mouth), or sometimes I mutter "and a guy" or jibberish to disguise the fact that I'm not saying "under god." I hate that I have to do this, but I don't want any hassle or controversy, and I also don't want to go against my own principles.

But beyond just the "under god" part, I DO have a problem with the pledge in general. No kid recites the pledge with reverence and a deep understanding of what he's doing. It's just thing that they have to do. It ends up being meaningless. I love my country, and that love comes from an actual understanding of our history, some of which has been great, and some of which has been awful. A rote recitation of allegiance, to me, actually CHEAPENS that love of country.

I think that what you did with your students did far more to connect them to our country's history and values than any recitation could. Bravo to you.

Just for completeness, here is the original (with some editory comments from Wiki):

It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country. In its original form it read: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

This from:

[ushistory.org]

I have no real issue with this, the original, version.

Take "under God" out and it's still indoctrination.

I believe it should be a choice, and not thrust upon those too young to fully understand what it means to swear fealty for life to something. Just as with religion people should not be indoctrinated in from birth, bit when they are old enough to make that choice

Sheesh! I hope the ACLU helps you!

[ushistory.org]

Imagine if the Pledge said "One nation under Allah..."

I don't recite it. I don't stand for it, or the anthem.
I don't like having my "patriotism" dictated.
Congress added the "under god" part in 1954, to show that we were better than
the "godless communists". They can shove that bs.
I'm godless, and still an American. There isn't anything that anyone can do or say that will
ever change that.
Call the FFRF. They love this stuff!