A patriotic middle school assembly celebrating America’s upcoming 250th birthday sparked protests and backlash from left-wing parents in Southern California this week after critics objected to the event’s alleged ties to organizations like Turning Point USA and The Heritage Foundation.
The event, dubbed “History Rocks 250,” was held at Canyon Hills Junior High School and focused on American history, the country’s founding principles, and civic pride ahead of the United States’ 250th birthday celebration next year.
But before the assembly even began, protesters gathered outside the school holding signs reading “No politics in school,” while some parents reportedly kept their children home entirely over fears the presentation would push a conservative political agenda.
Much of the controversy centered on reports that organizations affiliated with Turning Point USA and Heritage Foundation had helped coordinate the broader “History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour,” which is tied to America’s semiquincentennial celebration.
“I’m concerned about the views of Turning Point USA and the Heritage Foundation, which produced Project 2025,” grandparent Debra Esquivel said while protesting the event.
Parents interviewed by local media expressed fears that conservative ideology was being inserted into the classroom under the banner of civic education, despite school officials repeatedly stating the assembly would simply focus on American history and the nation’s founding.
“The things they teach and the ideas that they like to bring into communities and into students are concerning to me,” parent Kristi Hirst said. School officials and district leaders pushed back forcefully on the criticism, insisting the event contained nothing political or controversial.
“They will be learning about the founding documents and also about the American Revolution,” said Sonja Shaw. “This is nothing new. It’s in our curriculum.” The assembly itself appeared largely straightforward and patriotic in nature.
Students and faculty opened the event with the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem before participating in history-themed trivia games and presentations about the American Revolution and the country’s founding ideals.
One student emcee asked classmates questions about colonial America, while another delivered remarks praising the United States as a place where generations of immigrants came seeking freedom and opportunity. “What makes America special is that for generations families all over the world have come here, searching for freedom, opportunity and the chance to build a better life,” one student said during closing remarks.
Featured speaker Katharine Gorka, a senior adviser for civic education at the Department of Education similarly emphasized America’s openness and national identity. “We are the most welcoming country on earth, and I love that about this country,” Gorka told students.
After the assembly concluded, multiple students reportedly said the event felt like a normal school rally focused on American history rather than partisan politics. “I think they politicized something that’s not political,” Gorka later said.
The backlash puts a fine point on how reflexively hostile some have become towards conservative organizations and overt expressions of American patriotism, even when the actual content presented to students remained centered on basic civics and national history.
The reaction highlights the increasingly polarized atmosphere surrounding patriotism, civic education, and American history in schools — particularly in deep blue states like California, where even celebrations tied to the country’s founding can quickly become ideological flashpoints.