The Gorham School Committee will decide this week whether students at Gorham High School will recite the Pledge of Allegiance each day in the classroom.

The vote Wednesday – after the American Journal deadline – follows a 14-4 vote Monday by the School Council to recommend making the auditorium available each morning before school for students who wanted to recite the Pledge.

The vote by the School Council, which consists of 10 students and 10 teachers, came after an earlier vote to reject a proposal from Superintendent Ted Sharp to say the Pledge each morning in classrooms or over the intercom.

A recent petition signed by residents in the community has prompted the debate over whether to recite the Pledge, which has been absent from the regular school day at Gorham High School for more than 20 years.

As a civics lesson, school officials decided to allow the School Council to weigh in on the debate before the School Committee – the elected board that sets school policy – makes a decision.

Dennis Libby, chairman of the School Committee, said Tuesday Sharp’s initial proposal would be considered, along with the School Council’s recommendation.

Or, “We can come up with one of our own,” Libby said.

Whichever path the committee decides to take, Libby said, “I’m expecting a decision.”

The question of whether to recite the Pledge has fueled plenty of debate recently. Sharp said he was looking forward to putting the issue to rest.

“I hope we’re nearing closure,” he said.

More than 300 Gorham residents have signed a petition asking that the Pledge be recited in classrooms. Suzanne Ennis, a resident and substitute teacher in Gorham schools, said Tuesday that the School Council’s recommendation would be a hardship for those wanting to recite the Pledge and is unacceptable. Ennis hoped that the Gorham School Committee wouldn’t be “bamboozled” by the School Council decision.

“We’re watching and watching closely,” said Ennis, who addressed both the Town Council and the School Committee last month.

Ennis and other the petitioners also demanded that American flags be displayed in all rooms at the high school, as required by state law. The School Department complied, installing 80 flags last month.

At the high school Tuesday, Chris Esposito, a senior, said the Pledge issue has been a topic in the government and current issues class at the school. Esposito didn’t favor the auditorium as the setting for the Pledge.

“I’d rather have it in the classroom,” Esposito said.

Another Gorham High School senior, Crystal Doyle, said Tuesday she would recite the Pledge if it were a regular part of the school day, but doesn’t think it’s necessary.

“If you’re living here, your patriotism shouldn’t be questioned,” said Doyle, who added that some object to the phrase “under God.”

Ron Sailor, a Gorham resident who is department adjutant of the Maine American Legion, favored Sharp’s proposal of reciting it daily in each classroom. Sailor has two grandchildren in Gorham High School.

“The American Legion’s position would certainly be aligned with that of the superintendent, as we would like to see the Pledge of Allegiance recited in each classroom on a daily basis. Our second or fallback position would be that of having it recited over the intercom for each classroom,” Sailor said.

The School Council recommendation would be to open the high school auditorium for those wishing to attend at 7:35 a.m., five minutes before reciting the Pledge with a faculty member present. School begins at 7:50 a.m. Doyle didn’t think anyone would go to the auditorium for the Pledge.

Sailor said voluntarily reciting the Pledge in the auditorium before school didn’t place enough priority on it. He predicted students taking the time to go would soon be beckoned by other demands.

Esposito advocated reciting the Pledge. “It would make students think more about what’s going on,” Esposito said, “People are dying for the country.”

Gorham High School Principal Chris Record said Tuesday he didn’t envy the position of the School Committee, which will take up the matter at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

“I’m very pleased that the superintendent and School Committee allowed the School Council to have a voice,” Record said.

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