Fargo School Board votes to reinstate reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – The Fargo School Board votes eight to one to once again recite the Pledge of Allegiance before meetings.

Seth Holden, who brought the motion to end the board reciting the pledge last week after it had since April, voted for saying the pledge.

Nyamal Dei was the only no vote after she thought about her decision during a long pause.

Board Member Katie Christensen says she filed a police report for multiple threatening emails and voicemails.

Dei, the first black woman holding elected office in Fargo, played one of the hateful voicemails she received.

<“If you don’t like the Pledge of Allegiance because it hurts your little, black feelings. You’re a ****, ******* fascist Nazi and now you’re marked,” the message said.

“There’s a war on public education. The question I’m struggling with in my head that has gone on in the past week is do you concede the battle to win the war?” Holden said.

Governor Doug Burgum said he was drafting legislation for all public schools and elected governing bodies in the state to have the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. The board scheduled the special meeting one day after Burgum’s announcement.