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Tags: california | elementary | teacher | american | flag | anti-ice | protest

Calif. Teacher Flips Flag, Displays 'Abolish ICE'

By    |   Monday, 02 February 2026 06:52 PM EST

A California elementary school teacher is facing backlash after allegedly flipping the American flag upside down and displaying an "abolish ICE" message inside her classroom.

Bailey Hill Ringer, a first-grade teacher at Audubon Elementary School in San Diego, posted a video of the display on TikTok, where it quickly went viral and racked up roughly 2 million views before she reportedly deleted it.

Hanging the American flag upside down traditionally signals distress or an extreme emergency, indicating a belief that the nation or its institutions are in serious danger or crisis.

"Democrat public school teachers — and most of them are part of these giant Democrat unions — have absolutely failed.

Kids can't read, kids can't think, but they've got this kind of ridiculous activism going," Townhall senior columnist Kurt Schlichter told Newsmax on Monday.

It remains unclear whether the teacher could face formal discipline.

The account Libs of TikTok later shared the school's phone number in a post that had amassed nearly 500,000 views.

An Instagram account appearing to belong to Ringer had been deleted by Monday morning.

Ringer is the latest educator to draw backlash amid nationwide anti-ICE protests.

Last month, a Minneapolis teacher went viral after engaging in a heated classroom exchange with a student over the fatal, ICE-involved shooting of protester Renee Nicole Good, raising her voice and making remarks classmates viewed as insulting.

In New York City, a school also sparked controversy after posting a video last Friday showing kindergarten students participating in an anti-ICE protest.

The school's director suggested the children would have protested outside as well, were it not freezing temperatures and snowstorms across much of the East Coast.

Mark Swanson

Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.

© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


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A California elementary school teacher is facing backlash after allegedly flipping the American flag upside down and displaying an "abolish ICE" message inside her classroom.
california, elementary, teacher, american, flag, anti-ice, protest, classroom
274
2026-52-02
Monday, 02 February 2026 06:52 PM
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