A 12-year-old student from Lincoln says kids today don't respect the American flag or the Pledge of Allegiance.

Not only that, he says, it's just not considered cool.

Andrew Shelburn told the Legislature's Education Committee on
Tuesday that he will help teach his friends to value the flag and the pledge.

He spoke in favor of a bill that would make sure Nebraska public school students recite the Pledge of Allegiance first thing in the morning, every morning.

Sen. Tony Fulton of Lincoln introduced the bill to require that a U.S. flag be posted in every public school classroom and that students be led in the Pledge of Allegiance during.

Opponents are concerned about the cost of buying flags and say compulsory patriotism doesn't create love of country.