A California teacher’s creative twist on the Pledge of Allegiance backfired spectacularly when she directed students to vow loyalty to a Pride flag instead of the Stars and Stripes. Kristin Pitzen, who later deleted her TikTok account, filmed the 2021 incident, explaining she’d discarded the American flag during COVID-19 and offered the LGBTQ+ banner as a substitute.
The Newport Mesa district fired Pitzen, stating respect for the U.S. flag was non-negotiable. Yet the incident reflects a larger trend: Progressive educators introducing social justice symbols face off against conservative states like Oklahoma, where the Bible is now required reading.
As Pitzen’s case proves, America’s classrooms have become proxy battlefields for wider cultural clashes—with students caught in the crossfire.
