Common Ground: Bridging the Political Divide in Ohio THIS MONTH
On November 29th, at 3:00 PM EST, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) will be partnering with Brent Hamacheck to host Common Ground Campus (CGC) at Medina High School in Ohio. CGC is an event that has been sparking conversation and bridging the divide between conservatives and liberals on college campuses for several years. For the first time ever, Common Ground Campus will now be hosted at high schools around the country, beginning with Medina High School in Medina, Ohio.
“[Common Ground Campus] is a non-partisan, moderated panel event featuring two different sides. It’s designed to discuss and find agreement verses a divisive traditional debate platform highlighting differences.”
Common Ground Campus
The Turning Point USA Chapter at Medina High School has been met with opposition, stretching over three years. Administrators and the student government organization on campus have most recently attempted to block TPUSA chapter members from meeting and from posting promotional flyers around the school.
“For three years, the school and student government has fought us tooth and nail in order to prevent us from meeting and being school sponsored, claiming we are ‘not a good fit’ for the school. Just recently, following a series of events, the school prohibited our ability to hang posters and broadcast morning announcements, and made it impossible for us as minors to meet.”
“To have denied us is to say that [the school administrators are] the bearer of rights and the distributor of privileges, the proctor of thought ideology, the judge of thought correctness and is complicit in the censorship acting as the silencer of differing opinions than that of their own.”
Aidan Haggard — TPUSA student leader
The students at Medina High School want to facilitate civil discourse with their peers to find out where they can agree on some of the most fundamental principles of our nation — this is where Common Ground Campus comes in.
“At a time when culture has been discouraging speech and silencing voices, Common Ground Campus steps in to bring everyone together to bridge the divide on some of the most complicated issued facing out society today.”
Common Ground Campus
We look forward to partnering with Common Ground Campus to create a direct line of communication between students who have opposing viewpoints and worldviews. Teaching and encouraging the next generation to have healthy dialogue with their peers is a crucial step in securing the future of America.
