A new bill filed by State Sen. Alexander seeks to mandate flag displays and daily Pledge of Allegiance recitations in North Carolina schools while protecting individual choice, according to the North Carolina State Senate.
The bill, filed as SB 123 on Feb. 21 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘Flags at Every School.’
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the display of the United States and North Carolina flags on school grounds near the main entrance and in every classroom in public, charter, regional, and laboratory schools across North Carolina. It requires that the Pledge of Allegiance be recited daily and calls for age-appropriate instruction on the flags’ and Pledge’s historical origins. Schools cannot compel individuals to stand, salute, or recite the Pledge. The bill allocates $1 million in one-time funds for the 2025-26 fiscal year and $100,000 annually thereafter to procure flags for public schools. Additionally, $1,000 is allocated to the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors for flags in secondary schools under its control. The law takes effect with the 2025-26 school year.
Of the three sponsors of this bill, Carl Ford and Eddie D. Settle proposed the most bills (seven) during the 2025 regular session.
Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Alexander graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a BA.
Alexander, a Republican, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2019 to represent the state’s 44th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Vickie Sawyer.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| W. Ted Alexander, Carl Ford, and Eddie D. Settle | SB 123 | 02/21/2025 | Flags at Every School. |
| W. Ted Alexander, Bobby Hanig, and Carl Ford | SB 91 | 02/12/2025 | Newborn Safety Devices. |
| W. Ted Alexander, Bobby Hanig, and Carl Ford | SB 92 | 02/12/2025 | Released Time Education Act. |
| W. Ted Alexander | SB 79 | 02/11/2025 | Boiling Springs Charter Revisions. |
| W. Ted Alexander | SB 46 | 02/04/2025 | Lincoln/Catawba Common Boundary Line. |
