In a recent appearance on Newsmax’s “Conversations With Nancy Brinker,” U.S. Representative Dale Strong, R-Alabama, discussed his Promoting American Patriotism in Our Schools Act, legislation that would require public schools to display and discuss the American flag and hold daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance.
“My grandmother taught second grade for 38 years at Monrovia Elementary School in Huntsville, Alabama, and I remember starting our day off with prayer and a pledge of allegiance,” Strong said. “I can tell you right now, that’s something that’s not going on all over our country. And I think that one of the things that we’re offering in this legislation would be where we start the day off in every classroom with a pledge of allegiance to our country, and then also we would have a flag in every classroom and even in the gymnasiums, in every school.”
Strong’s bill would make federal funding for public elementary and secondary schools conditional on daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, the “prominent” display of the American flag in every classroom and gymnasium, and the inclusion of educational materials on the “history, significance, and proper display of the U.S. flag” in civics or history curricula at each grade level.
The legislation also would require local education agencies to certify annually to their state education agencies that they are complying with the bill’s requirements. The U.S. secretary of education would be responsible for enforcing compliance by “issuing…rules or orders” to local education agencies that fail to comply.
In his Newsmax appearance, Strong said the bill is about reemphasizing patriotism and bringing love of country “back to the forefront.” When asked whether American education lacks an appropriate emphasis on civic participation, Strong criticized “Marxism” and immigration, saying they have harmed America’s “Christian principles.”
“When you see what’s going on in our country today—socialism, Marxism—I can only imagine if my grandfather and my great-grandfather were here today to see this,” Strong said. “This is absolutely against the principles of America. You think about it, this country was based on Christian principles, and what we’ve done is we’ve allowed others to come into this country, and in many cases, they’ve failed to assimilate. They want to wave a flag of another country. We want them to wave the American flag.”
While Strong’s legislation would apply to public schools across the country, Alabama may soon pass its own constitutional amendment requiring daily recitations of the Pledge of Allegiance in the state after lawmakers passed House Bill 511 during the 2026 Legislative Session. HB511, sponsored by state Representative Reed Ingram, R-Pike Road, also would allow student-led and student-initiated prayer in public school classrooms.
Strong is running for reelection in Alabama’s 5th Congressional District and will face Democratic challenger Andrew Sneed in the November general election.
