Officials at a Chicago high school have rejected forming a chapter of the conservative Turning Point USA, claiming the organization doesn’t support “diversity and inclusion” and contradicts the school’s mission to “educate global citizens to create a better world.”
Update: After this story published, TPUSA spokesman Andrew Kolvet provided Breitbart News with this comment:
Taft High School Principal Grishaber is either ignorant of the work TPUSA does, or he is intentionally misrepresenting the facts by smearing the organization and our amazing student members. This is unacceptable behavior by an adult entrusted with safeguarding America’s next generation. Contrary to his public statement, Principal Grishaber is the one failing to uphold Taft’s values of ‘diversity and inclusion’ by blocking a conservative student group on a campus dominated by progressivism. Unlike Principal Grishaber, TPUSA remains committed to welcoming all students, regardless of skin color, ethnicity, or background and the organization will continue working to form a chapter at Taft in the weeks and months ahead.
Charlie Kirk, 28, founded TPUSA in 2012 and it has become one of the largest conservative groups for students across the country. Kirk, who grew up and went to high school in the northern suburbs of Chicago, has said his group is rooted in capitalism and the U.S. Constitution.
The Chicago Sun Times‘ biased reporting said, “Kirk, an avid Trump supporter who considers critical race theory and the concept of white privilege is racist against whites.”
The Times reported:
Taft High School Principal Mark Grishaber said in a letter to the school community earlier this month that he was “disturbed” by efforts to launch a Turning Point chapter at Taft.
Grishaber said in his note that the group doesn’t support diversity and inclusion and contradicts the school’s mission statement to “educate global citizens to create a better world.”
“Please know that staff and administration at Taft will never tolerate the formation of any group that does not support these values,” Grishaber wrote in the letter. “Our diversity is our strength, and we are proud to celebrate it in our classrooms and school organizations.”
The Times also reported that a longtime police officer who is also a 41st Ward Republican Committeeman, is under scrutiny after she posted on Facebook that she supports TPUSA.
“Some brave students will be creating this Chapter of Turning Point USA tomorrow at Taft High School which is located on the Northwest side of chicago in the 41st Ward,” Amelia “Ammie” Kessem, wrote. “I could not be more proud of them. In a city where Liberal Progressives have continually and unjustifiably attacked the characters of conservatives, including myself and my children, by calling us ‘Nazis,’ ‘White Supremists’ and outright ‘racists,’ I am certain these students realize that this will almost certainly be scrutinized by the administration at this school which seems to embrace the Marxist views of a substantial amount of the Chicago Teacher’s union members.”
“Please help support them and their cause by posting some encouraging messages on this page,” Kessem wrote. “I will be sure to pass it along to them. We must not give up on our youth.”
“At a Taft local school council meeting Tuesday night, Grishaber said the student interested in starting the group never filled out a formal application to get the group started,” the Times reported.
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