Kristin Pitzen, a California teacher, was removed from her classroom after a TikTok video she posted went viral, triggering an investigation. In the video, Pitzen jokes about telling a student to pledge allegiance to the LGBTQ Pride flag rather than the American flag, causing a stir across social media.
Annette Franco, a spokesperson for the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, addressed the situation, telling the Orange County Register: “Showing respect for our nation’s flag is an important value we instill in our students, and it’s an expectation of our employees. The teacher is no longer in the classroom while we conduct our investigation.”
The viral video, originally posted on Pitzen’s TikTok account, has since been deleted, but not before it gained massive attention. In the clip, Pitzen, an English teacher, starts by explaining her approach to the Pledge of Allegiance in her third-period class.
“I always tell my class: ‘Stand if you feel like it, don’t stand if you don’t. Say the words if you want, or don’t say the words at all,’ she recounts. ‘So my class stood, but didn’t say the words. Totally fine, except we didn’t have a flag.’”
Pitzen reveals that she had removed the American flag from her classroom during the COVID-19 pandemic because it made her “uncomfortable.” But when a student pointed out the oddness of standing and pledging to “nothing,” her response left many in disbelief.
Curious about what happened next?
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