A conservative education reform group has reported gathering “more than 100” accounts of educators expressing joy over Charlie Kirk’s death.
Stefano Forte, the executive director of the 1776 Project PAC, mentioned to a media outlet, “We think of this as accountability.”
“We felt the need to ensure that the upcoming generation isn’t taught by extremists in schools. We’ve had a significant number of submissions, and we’re still receiving more as we sort through them,” Forte added.
Following Kirk’s assassination on September 10, multiple instances of educators and school officials celebrating his death or making inappropriate remarks have emerged, leading to public outrage.
The 1776 Project PAC was established by Ryan Gardusky in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic to counteract progressive influences in education. The group aims to reform school boards nationwide by backing conservative candidates.
“We’re among the few federal PACs focused on this. Our main focus is on school board elections. Historically, this hasn’t been a priority for the Republican establishment or their pursuit of school board positions,” Forte explained.
He also mentioned that the PAC has observed the negative impact of school closures during the pandemic, noting a decline in student performance and classroom standards.
Since April, the PAC has backed over 350 school board elections, successfully securing more than 200 seats across the country.
Forte stated that their efforts to identify and call out teachers who celebrate Kirk’s death reveal “radical elements” in the public education system. The PAC has created a reporting form for anyone to submit instances of such celebrations. They aim to hold accountable those who rejoiced at the conservative leader’s passing.
“The purpose of this accountability initiative is to provide parents with a clear understanding of who is educating their children. We certainly do not want to infringe on anyone’s free speech; rather, we wish to enhance it and give a larger platform for transparency,” Forte shared.
He added, “We’ve received thousands of reports, and we estimate that about 100 of those will be valid by the time we finish reviewing them.”
Kirk’s murder, which occurred at Utah Valley University, has significantly raised the profile of Turning Point USA (TPUSA).
In the wake of her husband’s death, Erica Kirk became the CEO and board chair of TPUSA, which operates around 900 college chapters and about 1,200 high school chapters.
Despite some negative reactions following Kirk’s death, Erica garnered national attention for her forgiveness of the alleged murderer at her husband’s memorial service.
“By bringing these stories to light, we’re amplifying voices that celebrate Charlie Kirk’s death. We’re essentially giving them a platform,” Forte noted.
He added, “Now, everyone knows—colleagues, students, administrators, and the school board. That’s our aim.”
Turning Point USA has not yet responded to requests for comment from various media outlets.
