All government high schools in Oklahoma will be hosting Turning Point USA chapters to combat the “radical leftist teachers unions” and the “woke indoctrination,” explained State Schools Superintendent Ryan Walters before stepping down from his role. Across America, interest in the organization and the movement is surging.
The news from Oklahoma came after TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated while debating college students in Utah on September 10. While Kirk was primarily focused on bringing Christ and truth to America’s youth, his martyrdom has prompted a national shift toward Christian and conservative values even among adults.
“We will be putting TPUSA on every high school campus in Oklahoma,” explained Walters a press release announcing the decision, one of many decisions—including bringing Bibles back into the classroom—that sparked fury on the radical left. “Charlie Kirk inspired a generation to love America, to speak boldly, and to never shy away from debate.”
Walters, with a reputation as a conservative firebrand, has been fighting hard against what he describes as leftwing indoctrination of captive children in government schools. “Our kids must get involved and active,” he said. “We will fight back against the liberal propaganda, pushed by the radical left, and the teachers unions. Our fight starts now.”
The national youth organization, first launched by an 18-year-old Kirk over a decade ago, has seen an explosion of interest after its founder was martyred. In the weeks following the murder, TPUSA revealed that there have been over 120,000 applications expressing an interest in starting a new chapter in high schools or colleges and universities nationwide.
In a video posted on social media, Walters said Oklahoma parents, teachers, and students were eagerly expressing their desire to be involved with Kirk’s organization. “They want their young people to be engaged in a process that understands free speech, open engagement, dialogue about American greatness, a dialogue around American values,” Walters said.
“For far too long, we have seen radical leftists with the teachers’ union dominate classrooms and push woke indoctrination of our kids,” continued Walters in his online video. “They fight parents’ rights, they push parents out of the classroom and they lie to our kids about American history.”
By contrast, at least in Oklahoma, government schools and organizations such as TPUSA will work to ensure children do not succumb to that dangerous brainwashing. “What we’re going to continue to do is make sure that our kids understand American greatness, engage in civic dialogue, and have that open discussion,” Walters said in his video.
Before the assassination, TPUSA said there were about 1,200 chapters in high schools across America. Another 900 were operating on college campuses prior to the murder. With a flood of donations and national interest, political analysts expect that number to skyrocket in the months ahead. Kirk’s widow Erika Kirk is taking over as CEO.
As documented last week in The Newman Report, Kirk was a passionate advocate of getting government out of education. After praising this writer’s humble efforts on the education front, Kirk called for a “revival of homeschooling” and a massive move among parents and families to reclaim control of education from the state.
But more broadly, systemic reforms are needed, Kirk said, noting that the current system has its origins in the authoritarian Prussian model. “Understand, the government has no role in education,” Charlie said. “I know that’s a radical statement, but the government in education is one of the ways we have seen the destruction and debasing of the nuclear family.”
Separately, Walters told this writer during an interview for the Liberty Pastors Network that government schools must be brought to heel. Blasting the extreme indoctrination against God and country, the superintendent vowed to do everything in his power to protect the children in Oklahoma schools.
In the aftermath of Kirk’s assassination, Walters called on all government schools across the state to observe a moment of silence for the slain leader. Walters praised Kirk’s work in promoting “Christianity’s role in society” as well as “conservative values.” Multiple leftist school bosses refused to comply.
Just this summer, Walters announced a plan to protect students from extremist teachers fleeing far-left states like California or New York. The plan included an “America First” civics test to determine whether the would-be educators in Oklahoma—one of the reddest states in the union—knew basic facts about the United States, its history, and its government.
Naturally, leftists are furious about the TPUSA plan, too. Tulsa Public Schools Board Member John Croisant, a far-left activist seeking a seat in Congress as a Democrat, slammed Walters plan. He called it a “stunt” and said his district would not participate. “And he can’t make us,” Croisant told KGOU. “Because that’s not a part of accreditation.
Far-left Democrat State Rep. Mickey Dollens, meanwhile, also blasted Walters and his plan, citing a radio host to claim it was the superintendent’s “pathetic attempt to win over Republicans” as he allegedly suffers in the polls. “Walters has zero power to enforce it and won’t investigate a thing,” Dollens argued.
Responding to the leftist criticism, Walters turned the table. “These are the people that forced ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’ on your kids,” he said. “They force critical race theory on your kids. They force the most radical woke agenda in the country on your kids. The teachers unions and the Democratic Party did that.”
Walters, a former teacher, just announced that he would be resigning as superintendent to take a new position as CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance. The group aims to help and support educators “in their mission to develop free, moral, and upright American citizens,” according to the organization’s website.
Launching a Turning Point USA chapter in every government school is a great idea. But an even better idea, as Charlie explained in his last in-depth public conversation with this writer, would be to get every child out of the government schools—and get the government out of education completely. Nothing else will suffice.
