Pledge Across Kern Returns to Local Airwaves for Third Year

Every morning across Kern County, a familiar scene unfolds. Students shuffle into classrooms, backpacks hit the floor, morning announcements crackle over speakers and, before the school day gets fully underway, thousands of young voices join in a ritual generations of students know by heart. They rise, turn toward the flag, salute, and begin: “I pledge allegiance…” For many, those words travel only as far as the classroom walls. But this fall, some will carry across Kern County’s airwaves.

Back by popular demand for a third year, Pledge Across Kern has returned to KUZZ 107.9 FM, with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) and KUZZ inviting classrooms throughout the county to record students reciting the Pledge of Allegiance for a chance to be featured during the station’s popular morning show with Brent and Ness.

What began in 2024 as a way to spotlight local schools and student voices has quickly become an annual tradition. Throughout the school year, listeners can tune in on Monday and Friday mornings at around 7 a.m. to hear a shout-out to a featured school, followed by students leading the Pledge of Allegiance.

“The Pledge of Allegiance is such an important tradition in our schools,” said KUZZ Program Director Brent Michaels. “It’s our honor to celebrate that tradition with local students all throughout the school year.”

Participating is simple. Teachers can record their class reciting the Pledge using a mobile phone, complete the participation form and upload the audio file. Schools of all sizes and grade levels are encouraged to participate.

While Pledge Across Kern is entering its third year, the words at the heart of the initiative have been spoken by generations of American schoolchildren.

The Pledge of Allegiance was introduced in 1892 and took its current form in 1954, when the words “under God” were added. In California, state law requires public schools to begin each school day with an appropriate patriotic exercise, with the Pledge serving as one of the most familiar examples.

PARTICIPATION IS EASY
Just record your class reciting the Pledge using a mobile phone, complete the form HERE, and upload your audio file. Click HERE for our recording guide.

Schoolchildren in 1899 reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

The tradition also carries an important constitutional history. In 1943, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette that public school students cannot be forced to salute the flag or recite the Pledge, establishing First Amendment protections that make student participation voluntary.

When Pledge Across Kern first launched in 2024, Jeremy Adams, an author and civics teacher at Bakersfield High School, offered perspective on that balance between patriotic tradition and individual rights. His comments at the time also underscored the opportunity for educators to use the Pledge as a starting point for deeper conversations about civic identity.

“You can’t tell students what they should pledge allegiance to. That’s consistent with First Amendment values,” Adams said. “However, I do believe the Pledge is important, especially in a pluralistic society like ours. It’s one of the few things left that allows us to unite around our civic identity.”

Adams also emphasized that the value of the Pledge goes deeper than simply knowing its 31 words. He encouraged students to think about what those words actually mean: What is a republic? What does “indivisible” signify? What does “justice for all” mean in a historical and modern context?

“Our entire civilization is predicated on the ability to have meaningful conversations underpinned by civility,” Adams said. “So, I think anything that gets kids participating, talking, and curious is positive.”