Big & Rich recite ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ with audience in response to Fargo School Board vote

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - Scathing words from country band Big and Rich were handed down Thursday night, pointed at the members of the Fargo School Board in light of Monday’s vote to stop saying the Pledge of Allegiance before board meetings.

Prior to rocking out, the band asked the audience to join them in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the Lights in West Fargo. Videos of the event have gone viral online as they’ve garnered thousands of views and shares.

“Take (leadership) away from them! They have no business up in this town,” the band said after the audience finished the pledge.

Of Fargo’s nine school board members, only two voted to keep reciting the pledge before each board meeting, which the board has been doing since early April.

“It was a very easy ‘no’ vote from me from the get-go. I knew right away it would be controversial,” Robin Nelson said.

That controversy is what has Nelson worried, as she says she expects some serious repercussions both locally and statewide for public school funding.

“I’ve already heard from several legislators who have deep concerns about this and I think we can predict some fallout this legislative session because of it,” she said.

On top of that, Nelson says the decision takes away from the important work the board still has to tackle.

“Our focus should be on our great students and teachers and education, but this is going to detract from that and really shed more negative publicity on the Fargo school district, and quite frankly, we don’t need that,” Nelson said.

At the end of the day, Nelson says she respects the outcome and emphasizes she just wants to move on and get to work.

Board member Seth Holden brought forward the motion to the governance committee back in July. At Monday’s meeting, he stated the pledge doesn’t align with the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion values.

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