Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters has announced a push to establish a Turning Point USA chapter in every high school across the state. The declaration, which includes public, private, and homeschool environments, follows the recent death of the conservative organization's founder, Charlie Kirk, and has drawn immediate opposition from some local school officials.
Key Takeaways
- State Superintendent Ryan Walters is advocating for every Oklahoma high school to have a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter.
- The initiative comes after the death of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, which has increased the group's visibility.
- Walters is also leading investigations into more than 70 teachers for their online comments regarding Kirk's death.
- A Tulsa Public Schools board member has publicly opposed the measure, stating the district will not participate and that Walters cannot legally enforce it.
- Any punitive actions, such as revoking teacher licenses or changing school accreditation, require a majority vote from the State Board of Education.
Walters Declares Statewide Initiative
In a formal announcement sent to parents, State Superintendent Ryan Walters stated his goal is to see a chapter of the conservative youth group Turning Point USA established in all Oklahoma high schools. He framed the initiative as a necessary step in a larger cultural conflict.
"This is a battle for the future of the country," Walters explained in a subsequent interview. He attributed a rise in parental engagement to what he described as efforts by the "radical left that wants to stop free speech."
Walters expressed confidence in the plan's rapid implementation, citing strong support from families in the state. "We've never seen anything like the engagement here," he said. "I think it will be very, very quickly that we'll be able to hit that goal of getting a Turning Point in every high school in the state."
Background on Turning Point USA
Turning Point USA is a non-profit organization that advocates for conservative principles on high school, college, and university campuses. Its founder, Charlie Kirk, was a prominent activist in conservative politics. The organization has seen a notable increase in public attention following his recent assassination.
Logistical and Practical Challenges
Implementing Walters' vision faces several practical hurdles. According to Turning Point USA's own guidelines, establishing a new chapter is a student-led process that requires significant local coordination and cannot be mandated from the state level.
Each new chapter must meet specific criteria before it can be officially recognized.
- Student Leadership: At least three student officers must be appointed.
- Charter Agreement: A signed charter agreement must be submitted to the national organization.
- Faculty Sponsor: Many school districts require a faculty member to sponsor any official student club.
- Activism Requirement: Chapters are required to complete at least one "activism initiative" per semester.
Furthermore, the organization's website indicates that charter agreement submissions for the current school year, which runs from June to May, are already closed. A map on the TPUSA website shows only a handful of existing chapters in Oklahoma, most of which are on college campuses rather than in high schools.
Opposition from Local School Officials
The superintendent's announcement was met with swift resistance. John Croisant, a board member for Tulsa Public Schools and a Democratic candidate for Congress, characterized the move as a political maneuver designed to attract media attention rather than improve education.
"And he can’t make us," Croisant stated in a phone interview. "Because that’s not a part of accreditation."
Croisant emphasized that Tulsa Public Schools would not be actively promoting the establishment of TPUSA chapters. He noted that students already have established procedures for creating new clubs if they wish to do so, pointing to existing groups like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as examples of student-initiated organizations.
"We have all sorts of clubs at schools that students can create on their own," he said, "but we're not going to actively be pushing political organizations within our schools."
State vs. Local Control
School accreditation in Oklahoma is determined by a set of standards related to curriculum, safety, and financial management. The establishment of specific student clubs is typically not included in these standards, giving local school boards significant autonomy over such matters.
Investigations into Teachers and Districts
In addition to his call for new TPUSA chapters, Walters confirmed his department is pursuing action against educators and school districts for their responses to Charlie Kirk's death. He stated that his office is investigating more than 70 teachers based on their social media activity.
"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,'" Walters said. He claimed some posts appeared to "glorify the assassination" and suggested some teachers' certifications could be reviewed by the State Board of Education as early as its next meeting.
Under Oklahoma law, a teacher's license can be revoked for reasons such as negligence or criminal behavior, but the action requires a majority vote from the State Board of Education. Walters cannot unilaterally revoke a certification.
Dispute Over Moment of Silence
Walters also intends to penalize school districts that did not observe a moment of silence for Kirk at the specific noon hour he had requested. Several districts reportedly used a pre-existing, state-mandated morning moment of silence to remember Kirk, a move Walters deemed insufficient.
"I think it's absolutely disgusting that the left would refuse to take a minute of silence," he commented. Walters warned that the state board may take action against these districts regarding their accreditation status. Similar to teacher certification, any change to a school's accreditation would require approval from a majority of the board.
These actions come at a time of noted tension between Walters and other members of the state board, following a recent controversy where he accused them of a conspiracy related to images on his television that were later found to be from a movie.
