Schools mull Pledge of Allegiance, US flag bills - Fox 28: South Bend, Elkhart IN News, Weather, Sports

The time-honored tradition of students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance soon could be enshrined into Michigan law - along with a requirement that every public school classroom have a U.S. flag.

The Michigan Legislature has approved the measures with little resistance, and the flag legislation is heading to Gov. Rick Snyder's desk.

School officials are pondering what the legislation will mean if it becomes law. And some share the concerns of dissenting lawmakers, who argued that cash-strapped schools can't afford more expenses and the measures thwart local control.

Many students already recite the pledge, but there's no required opportunity. The bill specifies students wouldn't be compelled to say it.

The House Fiscal Agency says Michigan would join 43 states requiring public schools to offer a recitation of the pledge.