Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Monday a partnership with Turning Point USA to ensure students can establish a Club America chapter on every Florida high school as part of an initiative to promote civics and free discourse.
During a “Civics and Debate Initiative Announcement,” the governor said this initiative was prompted by the assassination of Charlie Kirk which occurred in the environment of collegiate public debate.
“Free speech and civil discourse are essential to the survival of a democratic republic. Today, those ideals are under threat: One-third of college students believe violence is acceptable to silence speech they find objectionable. Nothing illustrates this threat more clearly than the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who was killed on a college campus while trying to have a conversation with the other side,” DeSantis said.
Importantly, students will have the full backing of the state to start Club America chapters and are ensured that no school faculty or administrative members can obstruct their intentions. Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas, a former prosecutor, confirmed that “accountability will be front and center when it comes to education. If you try to serve as an obstacle, if you’re a hurdle, if you get in the way of any student or teacher trying to start a Turning Point USA Chapter you will be met with the full force of the law.”
In September, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier echoed the governor’s stance, also noting that “Turning Point clubs foster an environment for healthy discourse on topics impacting our country and citizens.”
DeSantis also announced that the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative will feature four scholarship awards which bear Charlie Kirk’s namesake.
“Today, I was proud to announce that the award for the state championship will be named after Charlie Kirk, to honor his legacy as a happy warrior for speech and debate,” he stated. “The winner of the Kirk prize will receive a $50,000 scholarship, with second place receiving $25,000, semi-finalists $15,000 and quarter finalists $10,000.”
TPUSA Club America Enterprise Director Nick Cocca is grateful for the initiative and looks forward to the trend it could begin throughout other states.
“We’re extremely grateful to Governor DeSantis for this partnership, and for honoring Charlie Kirk’s legacy,” Cocca said. “This should be a model for all states to follow. Now, every student in the state of Florida will have the opportunity to assume a leadership role and become more civically engaged through starting a Club America chapter at their school with the state’s complete support.
