Turning Point USA’s Club America expands into high schools, sparking disputes

In the months after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, Turning Point USA’s high school affiliate, Club America, has expanded into hundreds of high schools across the United States, a growth the group’s director said has more than doubled its chapters to over 3,000 from about 1,200. The expansion has prompted clashes in diverse districts.

In a Milwaukee suburb, a straight-A senior was suspended after removing a Club America poster; at Hamilton High School the principal approved a chapter despite a unanimous student council recommendation against it and said students on both sides have faced suspensions for removing posters.

In Lincoln, Calif., an inaugural meeting that included remarks by a local Republican official led hundreds to sign a petition and a parent to file a formal complaint alleging a violation of separation of church and state; the district said the chapter was approved and met district criteria.

State officials have publicly backed the push. Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick vowed to help bring chapters to every Texas high school, with Abbott urging reports to the Texas Education Agency of any school that blocks a Club America program and Patrick pledging $1 million to the effort.

Key Topics

Politics, Turning Point Usa, Club America, Charlie Kirk, Greg Abbott, Dan Patrick