Capital culture war heats up as GOP lawmaker targets DC schools over Old Glory snub

FIRST ON FOX: Florida Republican Sen. Ashley Moody introduced a bill targeting the Washington, D.C. public school system in a push to prioritize patriotism in the nation’s capital, Fox News Digital has learned.

The PLEDGE Act proposal would require teachers to feature the American Flag in their classrooms, and for administrators to provide students the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every day.

“Currently, there are schools in Washington, D.C., the nation’s capital, that do not display our flag or set aside time for students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, but they do teach them to be activists,” claims the press release shared with Fox News Digital.

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Activists burns a U.S. flag at Black Lives Matter Plaza near the White House July 4, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

In a city where Pride flags and progressive causes are prominently displayed across the district, some conservatives say patriotic symbols like the American Flag have taken a back seat in schools — fueling concerns about how civic values are being taught to the next generations of Americans.

“Radicals want to teach kids to be ashamed of the United States of America and how to be activists instead. We should be teaching kids why America is worth loving, and most importantly, the principles and values that make America worth defending,” said Sen. Moody in the release.

Over 40 states have varying Pledge requirements in their schools — but not in the nation’s capital.

“My PLEDGE Act helps restore pride in our nation by reminding students every day of the freedom, responsibilities, and blessings that come with being an American, and the sacrifices made for our flag and everything it represents,” Moody said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.

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Protestors repaint “Defund the Police” on Black Lives Matter Plaza on the final night of the Republican National Convention, August 27, 2020. (Evelyn Hockstein/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The bill comes amid a mayoral race in D.C., where socialist candidate Janeese Lewis George is the frontrunner. This continues a trend in the nationwide rise of the far-left Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) movement, which often spouts anti-American rhetoric.

The DSA platform, which aims to appeal to younger voters, wants to replace free-market capitalism with social ownership. It also pushes for major constitutional changes, like abolishing the Electoral College and expanding voting rights for noncitizens.

Younger Americans are significantly less likely to express strong national pride than older generations, with just 41% of Generation Z saying they are extremely or very proud to be American, according to a June 2025 Gallup poll.

The same poll says 58% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” or “very” proud to be American, the lowest level the pollsters have recorded since it began asking the question in 2001.

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The DC Public School (DCPS) curriculum calls for students to learn more progressive politics, from studying Harvey Milk to learning how the LGBTQ+ community has shaped and defined the Washington, D.C. community.

For example, 5th grade social studies standards in the district require students to analyze the rise of queer culture during the Black Renaissance and also require students to compare the experiences of LGBTQ+ service members returning to the U.S. after World War II, according to their 2023 Social Study Standards.

UNITED STATES – OCTOBER 21: Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., leaves the Senate floor after a vote in the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, October 21, 2025. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

During President Donald Trump’s second term, his administration restored patriotic symbols to the nation’s capital by installing two large American flags on the White House grounds and removing the “Black Lives Matter” street mural on the plaza just blocks from the executive residence.

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Washington, D.C., has long been a focal point for political demonstrations and protests. Trump, in his second term, deployed the National Guard to help bolster safety in the city.

Fox News Digital reached out to DCPS for comment.

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