•  Text of Secretary's Letter to Principals
  •  Pledge Across America
  •  event photo

"Teachers in every community in America have been working with students to help them understand what happened on September 11 and to overcome their fears and concerns," Paige wrote to the principals. "They have also worked to teach them more about our proud and rich national history and the foundations of our free society.

"Today, I ask students, teachers, parents and other proud Americans across the country to join me in showing our patriotism by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at a single time and with a unified voice this Friday," Paige said. "Together, we can send a loud and powerful message that will be heard around the world: America is 'one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'"

The synchronized Pledge of Allegiance will begin at 2 p.m. EDT, 1 p.m. CDT, Noon, MDT, 11 a.m. PDT, 10 a.m. in Alaska, and 8 a.m. in Hawaii. Paige will be participating in the Pledge Across America with students from a Washington, D.C., area school and details of his visit will be available later in the week.

Pledge Across America is being organized by Celebration USA, a nonprofit organization whose "purpose is to teach children the basic principles of American democracy and to invigorate patriotism."

More information about Pledge Across America can be found on the Education Department's Web site at www.ed.gov.

In addition to encouraging schools across the country to participate in the Pledge Across America program, the department has offered grants and other support services to school districts directly affected by the terrorist attacks and has developed suggestions for parents, educators and other caring adults to help them meet the needs of all children in the aftermath of the attacks and as we begin a global war against terrorism. These suggestions and links to other Web resources are posted on the department's Web site.

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Dear Principal:

As a Nation, we have responded to the terrorist attacks of September 11 by offering our support to the victims and their families, to the rescue workers, and to the men and women of the United States military. We have also displayed remarkable patriotism that reflects our appreciation for and dedication to the principles that make America strong - freedom, liberty, and independence.

Teachers in every community in America have been working with students to help them understand what happened on September 11 and to overcome their fears and concerns. They have also worked to teach them more about our proud and rich national history and the foundations of our free society.

I write today to ask you to join me and students, teachers, parents, and other proud Americans across the country in showing our patriotism by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at a single time and with a unified voice in your classrooms on Friday, October 12, 2001.

Pledge Across America is being organized by Celebration USA, a nonprofit organization created to strengthen instruction on the basic principles of American democracy in America's classrooms. They have offered us an opportunity to join in a synchronized Pledge of Allegiance at 2:00 p.m. EDT, 1:00 p.m. CDT, Noon MDT, 11:00 a.m. PDT, 10:00 a.m. in Alaska, and 8:00 a.m. in Hawaii.

I hope you will join me in making this a national celebration on Friday at the times listed above. Together, we can send a loud and powerful message that will be heard around the world: America is "one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Sincerely,

Rod Paige

More information on Pledge Across America is available on the U.S. Department of Education website at www.ed.gov

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