II’ll be honest, I never gave much thought to Charlie Kirk or his company before hearing of his tragic death on September 15, 2025. Though I’ve come to learn I align with Kirk on almost none of his views, I find his murder reprehensible, because I do believe in the necessity and power of free speech.
I sure started thinking a lot about them, however, when Oklahoma’s (now former) Superintendent of Schools Ryan Walters announced he was putting forth a plan to establish Turning Point chapters in all state high schools.
A Proposed Mandate
“I am very excited to announce a partnership with TPUSA to establish chapters in ALL Oklahoma high schools. Radical leftist teachers’ unions have dominated classrooms for far too long, and we are taking them back,” he said in the video announcement.
Nary 24 hours later, Walters made another big announcement.
“I’m excited to announce I’ll be stepping down as Oklahoma state superintendent and taking on the role as the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance,” Walters told Fox News on September 24, 2025. “We’re going to destroy the teacher unions,” he added. “We have seen the teacher’s unions use money and power to corrupt our schools, to undermine our schools.”
That is honestly big talk coming from him. In his time as superintendent since 2023, Walters not only mandated that all of the state’s schools incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments, but he also forced teachers from New York and California to complete an “anti-woke” exam before being hired.
Oklahoma, by the way, is 50th out of 50 states and Washington, DC, in its quality of education.
Where this leaves the state on actually implementing the addition of TPUSA to the schools is left to be seen. But the idea or notion that it was possible for it to happen should scare the daylights out of every single parent, no matter where you politically fall.
Why Every Parent, Regardless of Party Affiliation, Should Worry
Moves like this are, in my opinion, more like indoctrination. The act of mandating that all schools get a chapter of this organization — which is less policy-focused and more “culture war” focused — is a frightening and frankly Goebbels-esque move. I don’t know what the extent of it would be, but it feels like a slippery slope.
Would all students be forced to attend? Would they be forced to participate publicly at events where people are clearly being murdered? I’m not saying that’s happening, but it sure feels like it could be a hop, skip, and a jump away from it.
The Young Democrats and Teen Age Republicans being in school is completely different. These organizations are extensions of our current parties and focus on teaching kids policy, voter registration importance, issue education, and protest organization. All of those topics — left or right — are essential to understand in our current democracy. TPUSA is not only rooted in Christian beliefs but also believes in forcing them on others who are not Christians, from what I gather. It explicitly supports the reign of a very specific administration, a very specific way of life, and is not the representation of a political party.
The Difference Between Choice and Coercion
Truthfully, I am not opposed to TPUSA being in schools, because I believe in the necessity of free speech. If kids and their families believe that it is the best way for them to be politically engaged citizens, to help support policy for the larger Republican Party, that’s their right. What I take extreme issue with is any elected leader forcing it into schools. I would feel the same if they banned it.
Free speech is protected so long as it does not infringe on people’s rights. The right to an education that is separate from church and state and the right to support a party that you feel represents the best interests of this nation are both essential to uphold in our country. Organizations that promote a specific agenda being forced into these impressionable spaces feels wholly un-American to me.
I don’t know what this means for us if it is allowed to happen, but I’ll tell you that I think as a parent, it is more important than ever to attend school board meetings for your child’s school no matter where you live in the US, and to make your voice heard.
