A National Conversation

5:00 - 7:00 pm MT
4:00 - 6:00 pm PT

Patriotism is one of those terms that seems pretty simple—until you start talking about it.

Today, there’s a national conversation unfolding about whether schools should help shape students’ sense of patriotism. In February, 2025, members of Congress introduced the “Promoting American Patriotism in Our Schools Act,” legislation that would require federally funded schools to display the American flag, recite the Pledge of Allegiance,* and provide instruction about the flag’s history and significance. Supporters argue that schools should help cultivate civic responsibility, national unity, and love of country. Even the word patriotism can mean very different things to different people—ranging from civic responsibility and democratic commitment to concerns about nationalism and unquestioning loyalty.

At the same time, others are raising additional concerns—asking whether efforts to teach patriotism risk becoming a form of indoctrination, or crowding out honest discussions about the full story of our nation. In a 1943 landmark ruling about coerced speech, Supreme Court Justices Hugo Black and William O. Douglas wrote, “Love of country must spring from willing hearts and free minds."

*It should be noted that the Promoting American Patriotism in Our Schools Act includes this language: “…an individual may refrain from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance for religious or personal reasons. No individual may be penalized, discriminated against, or subjected to retaliatory action for exercising the option to refrain from recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in accordance with such exception.”

These disagreements aren’t just happening in Washington—they’re playing out in local communities, including schools, school boards, and dinner tables. How should teachers discuss political protest, civic dissent, controversial historical events, or moments of national division? As acts of patriotism, threats to democracy, or something more complicated?

Too often, these conversations leave us more divided than when we started.

So for this event, we’re slowing things down. We’re bringing together a small group of Americans with different perspectives and backgrounds—not to win an argument, but to understand each other a little better. Each participant will have a few uninterrupted minutes to respond to these two sets of questions:

• When you hear the word patriotism, what does it mean to you personally? Where did that understanding come from? Has your view changed over time? How, if at all, does patriotism differ from nationalism?

• What role, if any, should public schools play in shaping students’ sense of patriotism? What’s the risk if schools don’t address patriotism? What’s the risk if they do? How do we distinguish between healthy socialization and indoctrination?

Panelists will have an opportunity to ask one another questions before responding to questions from the national audience.

How panelists are selected
Our partner organizations and co-sponsors have helped spread the word about this event so that people can register and, if interested, apply to serve as panelists. Selections will be made to ensure a diversity of viewpoints, experiences, and roles—including teachers, parents, students, policy makers, and writers.

Related

In November 2025, we conducted a live event about California’s controversial Ethnic Studies requirement for high school students. Learn more and watch recordings here.

Promoting American Patriotism in Our Schools Act