Turning Point USA Faces Recognition Challenges at Fremont High School
A parent in Utah expressed concerns that his son’s high school is not fully recognizing the Turning Point USA chapter on campus. Braden Stander, whose son Brigham is a 17-year-old student at Fremont High School, mentioned that it’s challenging for the group to attain “curriculum club” status. This status would enable them to receive school sponsorship, hold meetings, and even appear in the yearbook.
A report from The Salt Lake Tribune indicated that the group currently holds “extracurricular club” status, which limits their ability to secure sponsorship from the school.
“We had a mountain bike group that participated in events like the homecoming parade and rallies,” Stander said.
Stander spoke about recent tragic events, particularly the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, who was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10. The incident has motivated students, including his son, to push for the chapter’s full recognition.
“Charlie Kirk’s situation really energized these kids,” Stander remarked. “I decided it was time to take a stand. My son became president of the chapter, and we reached out to the State Board of Education to tell them what was happening.” Last week, Stander addressed the Utah State Board of Education and the Law and Licensing Committee, voicing concerns about policies in the Weber School District, home to Fremont High School.
“We shared our experiences at the state board of education,” Stander explained. “Suddenly, it seemed like groups were barred from participating in activities. Yet, having lived here with my daughter in the school system, these restrictions are new and only seem to affect our club.” He emphasized their commitment to addressing these policy issues.
Stander noted that some students involved with Turning Point USA have faced backlash, but he feels the district is beginning to respond to their concerns. “Once I spoke at the school board, the district’s attorneys changed their approach towards our group. They seem more supportive, but we still haven’t seen the policy changes necessary to prevent this from happening to other students.”
A spokesperson for the Weber School District stated that the Turning Point USA group was approved at the end of the previous school year and has appeared in yearbooks before. They clarified that all groups should be granted equal access, insisting they don’t discriminate against organizations based on political affiliation. The spokesperson mentioned that there were no prior requests from the Turning Point USA group to engage in back-to-school activities, which might have contributed to the confusion.
Stander hopes the situation will bring about positive changes, reflecting on the significant rise in campus chapter requests for Turning Point USA after Kirk’s assassination. “We want to ensure all groups are treated fairly moving forward,” he concluded.
