A Wisconsin county supervisor has submitted a proposal to remove the Pledge of Allegiance and the word “prayer” from county board meetings, according to a report from Fox 6. “It just doesn’t feel like it’s appropriate for us to be doing, when in a pluralistic society we want to be inclusive and representative,” said Dane County supervisor Heidi Wegleitner. “At the end of the day, I think it’s divisive.”
“This is all in the same city that is home to the Freedom from Religion Foundation,” board member Tim Rockwell said in opposition to the measure. Rockwell told Fox News that prayer allows for the board to be more inclusive while also saying that the county’s religious diversity and pride should be “celebrated and not squashed.”
Wegleitner pointed to surrounding Wisconsin municipalities, including Madison and Waunakee, who do not recite the pledge before board meetings and claimed there are “inconsistencies” with the process. Wegleitner, who represents a district in Madison, likened opposition to saying the pledge to professional athletes who take a knee in support of racial justice movements when the national anthem is played at sporting events.
“There’s other ways to show community and shared values,” Wegleitner said.
The board’s executive committee briefly discussed the proposal during a meeting on Thursday, although the final say would rest with newly elected supervisors after the April 5 election. If the Wisconsin supervisor’s plan to remove the pledge of allegiance fails, she plans to reintroduce the measures to the new board. Madison.com said that the upcoming board is projected to be “the most progressive on record.”
