Note: we are republishing this story, which originally made the news in September 2021.

In a striking incident that resurfaced from 2021, a California teacher was removed from her classroom after instructing her students to pledge allegiance to a progress pride flag. This controversial move has reignited debates over the increasing presence of progressive political symbols, such as pride flags, in classrooms across America.

Kristin Pitzen, the teacher at the center of the controversy, shared a video on social media where she encouraged her students to pledge allegiance to the pride flag, which represents various LGBT identities. Traditionally, the Pledge of Allegiance has been a patriotic act reserved for honoring the United States flag, a practice that is becoming less common in American schools.

The Newport Mesa Unified School District responded swiftly to the incident by launching an investigation into Pitzen’s actions. The district acknowledged the concerns raised by parents and community members while emphasizing the importance of respecting the American flag in educational settings.

“We are aware that one of our teachers posted a video on their personal social media that caused alarm and concern related to saluting the American flag,” Annette Franco, a spokesperson for the school district, stated. “Showing respect for our nation’s flag is an important value that we instill in our students and an expectation of our employees. The teacher is no longer in the classroom. We follow due process and our investigation continues.”

Pitzen, who has since deleted her TikTok account, described the incident in the now-deleted video. She explained that she had instructed her students to stand if they felt like it, remain seated if they preferred, and to say the words of the pledge if they wished. “My class decided to stand but not say the words. Totally fine. Except for the fact, my room does not have a flag,” Pitzen recounted.

The teacher admitted that she had removed the American flag from her classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic because it made her uncomfortable. “It used to be there,” she said, pointing to a vacant spot in the classroom. “But I took it down during COVID because it made me uncomfortable. And I packed it away, but I don’t know where and I haven’t found it yet.”

When students noticed the absence of the American flag and questioned the pledge’s authenticity, Pitzen suggested an alternative. “‘In the meantime,’ I tell this kid, ‘We do have this flag in the class that you can pledge your allegiance to.’ And he looks around and goes, ‘Oh, that one?’” she recounted, showing a pride flag hanging on the wall.

This incident underscores the growing infiltration of woke propaganda in classrooms nationwide. However, conservative states are fighting back, achieving significant victories in their local education systems. For instance, Louisiana recently passed a law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

Similarly, Oklahoma has taken steps to incorporate Christian teachings into its curriculum. The Christian Tribune reported that Oklahoma’s top education official mandated the inclusion of the Christian Bible in lessons for grades 5 through 12. “The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone,” Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters stated. “Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction.”

As classrooms across America become battlegrounds for ideological influence, these conservative measures highlight a push to preserve traditional values and educational practices that honor the nation’s historical and cultural roots. The incident with Kristin Pitzen serves as a reminder of the ongoing cultural tug-of-war within the American education system, as communities and policymakers strive to shape the future of the country’s youth.