Kristin Pitzen, an English teacher at Newport-Mesa Unified School District in California, was removed from her classroom after a controversial TikTok video surfaced, showing her joking about removing the American flag from her classroom because it made her feel “uncomfortable.” In the video, she urged students to pledge allegiance to the rainbow Pride flag instead.
Pitzen’s actions sparked swift backlash from parents, community members, and officials, who criticized her for allegedly undermining respect for the national flag. The school district confirmed she was no longer teaching as investigations continued.
@deletedvideos09 Teacher mocks the American Flag and suggests to students they can say the Pledge of Allegiance to the pride flag
Parents rallied by placing American flags around the school to show their patriotism and support for traditional values, while the online community debated issues of respect, freedom of expression, and inclusivity in education.