Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday gave a full-throated endorsement of Turning Level USA and its assassinated founder Charlie Kirk’s quest to develop the conservative group’s presence in excessive faculties.
The Texas governor, talking on the Governor’s Mansion alongside Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and a Turning Level USA management official, additionally warned college district officers who may be immune to creating native chapters of the group in public faculties.
“Let me be clear, any college that stands in the way in which of a Membership America program of their college needs to be reported instantly to the Texas Schooling Company, the place I anticipate significant disciplinary motion to be taken place for any stoppage of TPUSA within the nice state of Texas,” Abbott mentioned, referencing Turning Level’s highschool program.
Abbott’s endorsement confirmed the rising help for Turning Level USA amongst high Republican management within the state.
Following the September assassination of Kirk, the group has made substantial inroads in Texas’ authorities and establishments.
Legal professional Common Ken Paxton has joined Turning Level chapters at a number of universities, together with the College of Texas at Austin, the College of Houston and the College of North Texas. Patrick has introduced he’ll give $1 million to the group to bolster its effort to create Turning Level USA chapters in each public highschool and state school.
Based on the group’s web site, Turning Level exists “to determine, educate, prepare, and manage college students to advertise the rules of freedom, free markets, and restricted authorities.”
Talking alongside the governor, Josh Thifault, senior director of Turning Level USA, mentioned that since Kirk’s dying, the group has seen its presence in excessive faculties practically triple to about 3,000 campuses.
“To see what each of you’re doing for us immediately, it offers me a lot hope for the way forward for Texas,” Thifault mentioned.
Thifault additionally met with Texas Schooling Company Commissioner Mike Morath on Nov. 3, the Texas Tribune reported. Morath stood alongside a bunch of scholars attending Monday’s announcement, however made no remarks past confirming that no campuses had been reported for blocking Turning Level of Membership America chapters up to now.
“No complaints but, however If one does come up, they’ll examine,” Abbott mentioned.
