Image: Stephen Davis on Instagram
The young conservatives at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona have formed a Turning Point USA chapter to promote conservative values and principles on their campus. The chapter, led by a group of resilient young leaders, is committed to fostering a culture of free speech, open debate, and intellectual diversity.
According to the chapter’s leaders, the idea for starting a Turning Point chapter at Perry High School came about after they observed a lack of conservative representation on their campus. They noticed that many of their peers held liberal views and felt comfortable expressing them, while conservative students felt isolated and silenced.
In February, I along with other TPUSA Contributors Stephen Davis and Morgonn McMichael, visited the campus to host an event with the chapter. Like many events hosted by TPUSA, we were met with some resistance from the school board, teachers, and some disgruntled students. Some school board members even accused the organization of being a violent right-wing extremist group.
In light of those allegations, the school had six police officers assigned to our meeting in the event of protests and for student safety. The school board president, who fought against members who attempted to shut down the event, made it clear that the chapter at Perry High has at least one ally on the board.
Despite facing opposition and criticism from some of their peers and teachers, the chapter’s leadership remains committed to their cause. They believe that promoting conservative values and principles is critical to fostering a healthy and diverse intellectual climate on their campus. Turning Point USA has provided the Perry High School chapter with resources, training, and guidance to help them grow and succeed to have more events and meetings in the future.
The young students at Perry High School have shown that even in a politically polarized and challenging environment, it is possible to stand up for one’s beliefs and values. Their commitment to free speech, open debate, and intellectual diversity is a testament to the resilience and determination of the next generation of conservative leaders.
If you want to learn more about starting a chapter on your high school or college campus, check out https://www.tpusa.com/highschoolprogram and https://www.tpusa.com/college.
