Nickelodeon marked Earth Day this year with a segment dedicated to teaching its young audience about "environmental racism" and the impact it has on climate change.
CBS News correspondent and host of the special Jamie Yuccas began by questioning why some U.S. cities are subjected to dangerous living conditions more than others.
"What do these cities have in common?" Yuccas asked. "They’re all examples of environmental racism, a form of systemic racism where minority and low-income communities are surrounded by health hazards because they live near sewage, mines, landfills, power stations, [and] major roads."
The special caused quite a stir on social media, with critics accusing the program of trying to indoctrinate its younger audience with "propaganda."
"Remember the good ole’ days when the network just aired salute your shorts, hey dude, rugrats, the adventures of Pete and Pete, Rockos modern life ... AND didn’t peddle this left-wing drivel. Sad - truly sad," Townhall.com senior editor Matt Vespa wrote on Twitter.
The controversial segment was posted on Nickelodeon's official Twitter account, but the reply feature was disabled by the network for fear of backlash, critics observed.
"You're cowards,@Nickelodeon," Daily Wire reporter Ryan Saavedra said, alongside the tweet.
"If you have kids that still watch Nickelodeon, turn it off. They run the racial and lefty bs all the time. Aimed right at your kids," another user wrote.
Daily Caller Communications Director Logan Hall questioned "honestly, what’s the market for this? it’s a children’s cartoon show," he wrote. "Nothing is sacred."
"I remember when Nickelodeon didn't indoctrinate our kids," a user added.
"Learn the meaning of State propaganda and social control," wrote another.
The incident marks the second time in less than a year that critics charged the program with crossing the line.
In June, Nickelodeon suspended its programming to air a message that simply read "I CAN'T BREATHE" for eight minutes and 46 seconds, accompanied by the sound of a person breathing.
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The message was a reference to George Floyd, who died while in police custody after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for eight minutes. Chauvin was found guilty of murder last week by a Minneapolis jury and now awaits sentencing.