UPDATED Pledge of Allegiance Sparked Heated Discussion at Last Night's School Committee Meeting

***Editor's Note: Sean Harrington, the local 17-year-old supporting the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, and this story have been featured nationally on Fox News and beyond on June 29 and 30.

Arlington High School Junior Sean Harrington has made reciting the Pledge of Allegiance the cause of his high school career. Last night, though he brought a dozen supporters to the School Committee Meeting, his request for daily recitation failed to gain School Committee approval with a 3-3 tie.

Harrington gave an impassioned speech before the School Committee last night, reminding the members that "freedom is not free" and that nobody would be required to recite the Pledge, but it would be at least recited by someone over the loudspeaker every day.

The pledge has been controversial over the years. First proposed in 1892 by the children's magazine The Youth's Companion, as part of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America, the current Pledge reads: "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 "under God," a major point of contention, was not in the original pledge and was added by congress in 1954.

Harrington has spent much of his high school career on this project, collecting over 700 signatures and the support of numerous local and national celebrities and politicians, including Sen. John Kerry and former Republican Presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.

"My supporters come from all different walks of life and jobs," Harrington said, adding: "We are disrespecting the document by not having it in the school."

Harrington said that he has taken much abuse over the years as the result of his fervor. He has been called "Nazi" and "Fascist" and also said he has heard from students have told him they avoid reciting the Pledge for fear of "bullying and reprisal."

"The Pledge of Allegiance is more than 31 words," Harrington said. "It is living and breathing statement that shows the bond a person has to their country."

Some on the Committee worried that it would be hard to find teachers willing to recite the Pledge, to which Harrington said: "If we cannot have a willing teacher who would want to say it, then this system of ours is cracked."

Committee member Joseph Curran supported Harrington's cause and created a motion for daily recitation of the Pledge by "a recording or by willing participant," which was seconded – "for discussion" – by Committee Member Leba Heigham.

The recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance has gone before the U.S. Supreme Court on several occasions. One of the major issues is over the inclusion of the phrase "under God" in the Pledge (added in 1954), which violates student's right to practice their own religion, particularly Jehovah's Witnesses who have, in the past, raised issues with forced recitation as it goes against their beliefs.

"I do not want to see a return to that," said Committee Member Judson Pierce, an attorney, who also pointed out that Harrington's interpretation of the state law, which requires the Pledge, may have been correct, but that the federal law, which does not, trumps it.

Heigham, who ultimately voted against the motion, pointed out: "Patriotism is a very personal thing for all of us, but I do not think it is in the School Committee's best interest to mandate that any of our employees recite the pledge."

Though Harrington said that no one would be required to recite it and that it would be voluntary, the motion was still tied 3-3, which ended the discussion.

Members who voted for the motion included Cindy Starks, Joseph Curro and Curran. Pierce, Kirsi Allison-Ampe and Heigham voted against it. Jeff Thielman was traveling and was absent from last night's meeting.

The exchange that followed the vote became quite heated with Harrington's supporters vocalizing their disapproval and shouting expletives at the Committee. Harrington promised not to give up the fight: "I will not falter from my cause until my goal is met."