A parent in Utah has elevated a dispute with a local high school to the state level, claiming that his son's Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter is being unfairly restricted. The Weber School District, however, maintains that it is applying its policies equally to all student groups.
Braeden Stander, the father of a 17-year-old student at Fremont High School, alleges the school is preventing the conservative group from gaining full recognition, a claim the district disputes by stating it provides equal access to all organizations as required by law.
Key Takeaways
- A Utah parent claims Fremont High School is unfairly limiting its Turning Point USA chapter.
- The core issue is the group's difficulty in obtaining "curricular club" status, which grants more school privileges.
- The school district states that its policies are applied equally and it is not aware of any denied requests for participation where other clubs were permitted.
- The father brought his concerns to the Utah State Board of Education, after which he says the school's communication improved.
- The dispute arises in the context of increased interest in TPUSA following the recent assassination of its founder, Charlie Kirk.
Dispute Over Club Recognition at Fremont High
The controversy centers on the distinction between "curricular" and "noncurricular" student clubs at Fremont High School. According to Braeden Stander, whose son Brigham is the president of the school's TPUSA chapter, the group has struggled to achieve curricular status.
This designation is significant because it allows student organizations to receive official school sponsorship, be featured in the yearbook, and participate in school-wide events like assemblies. Noncurricular clubs do not receive these privileges.
Stander pointed to specific instances where he believes the TPUSA chapter was treated differently. "You have the mountain bike group, is allowed to be in the homecoming parade, and then they were allowed to participate in the first assembly," he stated.
Allegations of Unequal Treatment
The father believes the school's actions are motivated by the group's conservative political stance. He claims the administration is singling out the TPUSA chapter.
"We start working trying to, you know, fight with the administration saying like, ‘Hey, you're singling this group out because you believe that they're a, you know, right-wing group,’" Stander explained.
The situation gained urgency for the students involved following recent national events that deeply affected the organization.
Parent Escalates Concerns to State Board
The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of TPUSA, served as a major catalyst for the students at Fremont High. Kirk was killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University.
"The whole Charlie Kirk incident happens, and it really lights a fire under these kids," Stander said. "Like, ‘We're going to fight harder because we're tired of being silenced.’"
Motivated by this, Stander took his concerns directly to the Utah State Board of Education. Last week, he addressed the board during a public comment session on Thursday and later spoke before its Law and Licensing Committee on Friday.
Timeline of Events
- End of 2024-2025 School Year: Fremont High approves the TPUSA chapter as a student group.
- September 10, 2025: TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk is assassinated in Orem, Utah.
- Early October 2025: Braeden Stander speaks to the Utah State Board of Education about his concerns with the Weber School District.
Stander reported a noticeable shift in the school district's approach immediately after his appearance before the state board. "As soon as we went before the school board, everything changed," he noted. "The school, the legal counsel for the school district, they've 100% changed their approach on how they're dealing with us as a group."
Despite the improved communication, he emphasized that the underlying district policies that created the issue have not yet been changed to prevent similar situations in the future.
School District Responds to Allegations
The Weber School District provided a detailed response, addressing the specific claims made by Stander. A spokesperson for the district emphasized that both district policy and state law mandate equal access for all student groups.
In a statement, the district clarified the timeline and its handling of requests from the TPUSA chapter.
"TPUSA was approved to be a group at Fremont High at the end of last school year," the spokesperson said. "Groups have been featured in yearbooks in the past. TPUSA submitting an application at the end of the school year and being approved as a new group would explain why they haven't appeared in past yearbooks."
Addressing Specific Incidents
Regarding participation in school events, the district offered a different perspective. "Groups that asked to participate in the homecoming activities at the school were allowed to participate. We are not aware of any request by the TPUSA group to be part of those activities," the statement continued.
The district did confirm denying one request from the group but explained the context.
"Prior to this, there was a request by TPUSA to participate in back-to-school night. That was denied as no groups were allowed to participate in that event."
The district firmly stated that it has not shown preferential treatment. "The district maintains that it has not granted a request to one group while denying it to another group," the spokesperson concluded. "Where groups have been given access to certain things in the past, such access was not simultaneously denied to other groups who have asked."
Broader Context: TPUSA Growth After Tragedy
The local dispute at Fremont High is occurring during a period of significant national attention on Turning Point USA. Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the organization has reported a massive surge in interest from students across the country.
National Surge in Interest
According to TPUSA, the organization has seen a dramatic increase in engagement since September. Reports indicate that it has received over 37,000 new chapter applications and more than 120,000 requests for new campus chapters nationwide. This reflects a broader trend of political engagement among young people.
This national movement appears to be fueling the determination of local chapters, like the one at Fremont High, to secure their place and voice within their school communities. The students' desire for full recognition reflects a larger effort by the organization to establish a strong presence on high school and college campuses.
The outcome of the situation in the Weber School District may set a precedent for how other districts handle similar requests from politically-oriented student groups, balancing the principles of equal access with established school policies.