A Bay Area Catholic school is pulling Pride flags from campus, and some parents and community members are cheering the move.

Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland announced plans to replace the Pride and Progress flags that had been displayed in classrooms with a school-created emblem as students return for the 2026-2027 school year.

Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland will no longer display Pride or Progress flags on campus as the Catholic school begins the 2026-27 school year. Bishop O’Dowd High School

The alumni account urged members of the school community to “respectfully” email Walsh. Bishop O’Dowd High School

President Kim Walsh says the new “Inclusive O” symbol affirms the school’s support for LGBTQ+ students, families, faculty and staff. Facebook/Bishop O’Dowd High School

The new “Inclusive O” features a large letter “O” splashed with colors from the Pride and Progress flag.

School President Kim Walsh said Wednesday that the symbol reflects the school’s commitment to every member of its community, including LGBTQ+ students, families, faculty and staff.

The decision comes after the flags became a “lightning rod” at the Catholic school last year, prompting school leaders to spend a year consulting with students and community members about how to handle the issue.

Supporters say the new approach gives Bishop O’Dowd something the Pride flags could not: a symbol that belongs specifically to the school.

Walsh said the yearlong discussions ultimately led to the creation of the “Inclusive O.”

Pope Leo XIV delivers the Angelus prayer from the entrance of the Apostolic Building in Castel Gandolfo. Evandro Inetti/ZUMA Press Wire / SplashNews.com

Rather than displaying outside political or social imagery, the school is using its own identity to represent students, according to the supporters described in the school community.

Some parents and community members also believe the change better reflects traditional Catholic teachings.

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And others see the move as a way to promote unity, giving the entire student body one school-specific symbol instead of appearing to favor particular causes.

Walsh said the yearlong discussions ultimately led to the creation of the “Inclusive O,” which she described as a symbol “that belongs uniquely to O’Dowd, one that we define.”

The post argued that removing the flags “directly affects the LGBTQ+ population of the school by removing pieces of representation.” Bishop O’Dowd High School

The emblem will now be displayed campus-wide.

Not everyone is thrilled.

An Instagram account run by alumni accused the school Wednesday of undermining its responsibility to maintain a “welcoming, diverse community.”

The post argued that removing the flags “directly affects the LGBTQ+ population of the school by removing pieces of representation.”

The alumni account urged members of the school community to “respectfully” email Walsh about the new Pride flag policy as classes begin Monday.

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