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It's not value driven at all. They aren't requiring that you pledge allegiance to the flag, they are requiring that you stand and show respect while others do. Everyone in this thread that 'agrees' with the students is making a serious error in reasoning and judgment. What they are actually feeling is that the pledge belongs in homes rather than schools (which is a separate debate). What they are saying, however, is that it is okay to be blatantly disrespectful to the beliefs and customs of others if they are not your own. That is the wrong message, and one that schools should be trying to actively discourage.
Cross-cultural respect and understanding is far more than mere manners and values - it is a vital part of professional and social interaction in the world that these students will enter in to some day. Students are supposed to be educated not only in math and science and English, but also in vital life skills like intelligent discourse, respectful problem solving, and openness to outside ideas. These are skills that are fundamental to a well-rounded education, and are absolutely necessary for anyone who wants to ever get a job or get along with others. This more rounded socio-intellectual education is why school systems are - in theory - superior to home schooling children or sitting them in front of an encyclopedia for 7 hours a day.
I don't know what the hell people here are thinking when they say it is appropriate for people to sit during foreign national anthems, or to not bow one's head and be quiet during a grace at another person's home, or to speak loudly when touring a cathedral during a service. The self-centered arrogance behind such actions is stunning to me, as is the ignorance that leads one to conclude that simply having a right makes something right. If you agree that it is important for schools to teach not only basic academic subjects, but also basic elements of constructive adult conduct, then I don't see how you can argue that the school is failing in it's duties when they punish students for blatant displays of disrespect towards the customs of their classmates and the school system.
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