After mocking the American flag and pushing her own social agenda in the classroom, a California teacher lost her job.
In a TikTok video, Kristin Pitzen, an Orange County teacher at Newport Mesa School District, joked that she removed the American flag because it made her feel “uncomfortable.”
Many parents were offended when she later urged her students to swear loyalty to the pride flag rather than the American flag, believing that she was teaching them to “disrespect” the flag. Continue reading to find out why parents and the community are so outraged by this tragedy.
Pitzen said, chuckling, in the since-deleted TikTok video that she took down the American flag from her classroom and muttered to the camera, “I packed it away and I don’t know where, and I haven’t found it yet.”
She continued by describing how she had given her students the freedom to stand or not stand, to speak the words or not say them, during the morning Pledge of Allegiance.
My class chose to stand without saying the words. Absolutely fine. Aside from the fact that my room is devoid of a flag,” she remarked, chuckling.
She then related a story of a student who, not seeing the American flag in the classroom, wondered what he should look at during the pledge.
“In the meantime, I tell this kid, ‘We do have a flag in the class that you can pledge your allegiance to,’” she added, unable to contain her amusement. And he seems to be looking about when he says, “Oh, that one?”
The pride flag hanging on the wall was then in focus as the camera panned.
Advancing Pride
Pitzen had a history of advocating her views in the classroom before.
She displayed her Pride Month-themed, flag-filled classroom in another since-deleted video.
In the video, she vowed to support the LGBT community.
“I love you all very much—for the people who are out and the people who aren’t out,” she said. We are grateful for you. You are cherished. You are sufficient. I’m with you. I understand you.
An Icon of Liberty
Pitzen’s efforts were not well received by the community or the school board, who saw them as improper indoctrination of the pupils.
The video soon attracted a lot of attention and provoked criticism from many who thought Pitzen was acting disrespectfully toward the American flag.
In retaliation, a few parents decorated the school grounds with US flags. “We just heard the school was short some flags, so we decided we’d help them out to show our patriotism,” a mother said in her reply.
Adding, “I’d like to share with her, if she doesn’t know, the importance of respecting the flag,” was Michele Vaughn, whose son is in the military.
Anger was also voiced by the online community. “The flag is a living piece of history that symbolizes the freedom she enjoys today,” said one reviewer. Children should learn that it’s for the folks who allowed you to enjoy the freedom and happiness you do now.
Another said, “You don’t realize how fortunate we are, and you stand for the people who fought to maintain freedom.” To disparage the symbol of our nation’s flag?
Some even advised her to think about relocating to nations like Afghanistan that had less liberties.
Pitzen has erased all of her social media accounts after the video was released in 2021, and the school administration has opened an investigation into the incident. Pitzen is no longer teaching.
The incident has rekindled conversations about national symbols, freedom of expression, and educators’ duties to promote diversity and inclusivity in the classroom. It’s unclear what further steps, if any, the school system will take in light of this circumstance.
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