Principal Responds To Outrage Over 'God Bless America'

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Principal of the Glenview Elementary School in Haddon Heights, NJ, Sam Sassano,  responded to criticism he's received following a lawsuit was filed against the school by the ACLU to stop students from saying 'God Bless America' after the Pledge of Allegiance.

Sassano, talking with Dom Giordano on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT, said the tradition began before he arrived at the school and has been carried on by the students, not school staff.

"One or two of the former staff members taught their students to say 'God Bless America' after the Pledge of Allegiance to honor those who had fallen in the 9/11 attacks. When I started in 2005, I had the kids gather in the school yard in the morning and we would say the Pledge of Allegiance together as a school community and students who were in that class that year still continued that tradition, saying 'God Bless America,' so it just was self taught to other students by those students in that first class. So the kids since then have been saying 'God Bless America' after the Pledge."

He said he will not take any action requiring or prohibiting students from saying, 'God Bless America' moving forward.

"Our parents at Glenview have been very supportive. I've gotten many supportive emails. I know it's angered other people who are outside the community who really don't know our school community or know me. We all believe that...all of our students have freedom of speech, so if students continue to say 'God Bless America' after the Pledge of Allegiance we're not going to interfere with that. We're not officially endorsing it. We're not requiring it. But we also know that many of our parents want their children to continue saying that phrase."