The reason people can't recite the pledge of allegiance is because someone was offended that they had to say "under God" in school. Apparently it violated their rights, so NOBODY would say the pledge in school anymore. If you didn't want to say the pledge, you didn't have to, and over the years, the number of people who didn't say it increased. I'm not a religious person, but I say that damn pledge, and it's important to me that I do.
I don't know if this is how it's done now, but when I was in school, from K-12, you stood and gave the Pledge of Allegiance every morning before class started for the day. I have moved around during all of those years, and I attended many different schools, and it was all the same.
People are too busy being offended to pledge their allegiance to anyone or anything but themselves. I agree, it is sickening. Years and years of beautiful tradition, pledging your allegiance to the flag that symbolizes life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, thrown down the drain.