When I was in school the pledge was always preceded by the statement “we live in a nation of freedom, participation in the pledge of voluntary. Those who wish to participate please stand, other may remain seated and quiet”

I remember when it first dawned on me how creepy the pledge is I began to sit and one teacher was like “what are you doing? You have to stand up!” so I explained that it seems creepy, and quoted the statement they always precede the pledge by and the teacher replied “oh I never thought about that” and left me alone from then on on the subject