Politics
NEW: Red State Moves To Form TPUSA Chapters At All Public High Schools
Oklahoma’s State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Tuesday that he will be moving to help establish A Turning Point USA chapter at every public high school in the state following the assassination of the organization’s founder, Charlie Kirk.
“I’m excited to announce today that every Oklahoma high school will have a Turning Point USA chapter,” Walters announced in a video statement.
“We have seen the outpouring from parents, teachers, and students that want to be engaged in a meaningful work going on at Turning Point. They want their young people to be engaged in a process that understands free speech, open engagement, dialogue about American greatness, a dialogue around American values. We’re so excited to partner with Turning Point USA with this initiative.”
He then pointed to documented instances of political activism on the part of teachers and the overwhelming support for Democrat candidates and causes on the part of the nation’s largest teacher’s unions. “They fight parents’ rights, they push parents out of the classroom, and they lie to our kids about American history,” Walters continued.
“What we’re going to continue to do is make sure that our kids understand American greatness, engage in civic dialogue, and have that open discussion. We will continue to do all that we can to make sure Oklahoma students have the best education possible.”
Turning Point USA requires each chapter to have at least three student officers and a signed charter agreement. Students must also adopt at least one “activism initiative” per academic semester, while many schools also require faculty sponsorships for student-run organizations.
Walters also addressed the disturbing number of social media posts celebrating Kirk’s murder that have come from teachers and school administrators, including those in Oklahoma. “We’ve had a record amount of parents reach out on those individual posts as well, saying, ‘look, I don’t want this person in front of my kids. I don’t want this person in a classroom,’” Walters said.
Under state law, an Oklahoma teacher could have their license revoked for a number of violations, including negligence, crimes or instructional ineffectiveness. An actual revocation would require a vote from the majority of the board.
