[mrex]

>It's certainly not normal in my country for schools to display the country's motto or flag

Wow, really? Can I ask what country? In my state it's illegal for the leader of a school to neglect or refuse to display the flag:

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3313.80

...maybe this is a US thing?

[Vespasian]

This may not come as a surprise but Germany is neither doing flags, nor anthem singing or any kind of pledge.

The day begins with "Good morning" - "Good morning Ms/Mr X".

And being a secular country there is no prayer in school either (however there is religion as a school subject if you are a member of one of the major churches (+ sometimes Islam is offered as well)) or ethics if you are not.

[mrex]

Germany is less surprising to me, given the history involved. Based on what I am looking into on Google Maps, however, it hardly seems to be a phenomenon confined to the US, and at least based on my spot checks it seems to be more common than not for public schools to display national flags.

[BrandoElFollito]

A pledge or prayer would be unthinkable in France for instance.

We do not display the French flag in schools (for no particular reason, except that you would need someone to take care of that), you would find Forbes on official buildings.

[dangerface]

Its very much a US thing. Sure other countrys have flags and they like them but Americans really take it to a whole other level. In the uk every school I wen't to had a flag pole but would only fly a flag on special occasions such as sporting events and we would fly sports flags. In America they seem to worship their flag when I see they are scared to let it touch the ground.

From the outside it looks like Americans value the flag more than they value other Americans, in the uk we value brits more than we value the British flag as the flag is just a representation of the people.

[mrex]

>Its very much a US thing

Are you sure? I've done a little bit of spot checking on Google Maps, and I find that national flags are clearly visible outside public schools in:

Canada Mexico Poland South Africa

...all have flags with flagpoles outside public elementary schools.

[BreakfastB0b]

We don’t do anything like this in Australia. I can’t imagine being forced every morning to pledge something you’re not old enough to understand.

[Taniwha]

not in NZ either, we sang hymns in school assembly when I was a kid but these days more that half of us don't believe in religion - you have to choose to pay to go to a special school if you want to be taught god stuff, which is as it should be

[Grayskull]

In czech republic state flag is not always displayed. Some schools have picture of president in classrooms but it is more of a rare sight. Also there is a separate subject about topics ranging from state symbols to law creation. so yes it probably is US thing

[mrex]

It's interesting that in the countries where it seems to be less common, everyone assumes that displaying flags outside of schools is a US-only thing, when spot checks of Google Maps seem to suggest that it's relatively common throughout the world.

Americans get a lot of flak for assuming the world looks like their backyard, but maybe this is a case of the reverse?

[mrex]

I don't see why, given that looking through Google Maps seems to suggest that it's at least as common as not...

Let me just step back and observe that this is possibly the worst way to do cultural exchanges. Why does everyone have to take an attitude of superiority and judgement, instead of objective inquiry and mutual discovery?