1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I urge you to oppose Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s plan to spend $1 million installing Turning Point USA chapters in every Texas high school and college. This isn’t about political ideology. It’s about whether our state should endorse an organization founded by someone whose documented statements attacked the Civil Rights Act, demeaned Black professionals, and promoted conspiracy theories. Charlie Kirk, who founded Turning Point USA before his death in September, told a reporter that passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was “a huge mistake” and called Martin Luther King Jr. “awful” (Wired, confirmed by [FactCheck.org], September 2025). On his podcast, he claimed without evidence that “prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people” and said Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson only succeeded because “you had to go steal a white person’s slot” through affirmative action. He referred to George Floyd as a “scumbag” in public speeches (WHYY). These aren’t isolated remarks. They represent a pattern that runs counter to Texas values of merit, fairness, and respect. The organization itself has serious problems. A New Yorker investigation found the workplace “rife with tension, some of it racial.” One African American staffer was fired on Martin Luther King Jr. Day after being the only person of color hired. The group’s national field director was caught texting “I hate black people.” Parents deserve to know this history before their children are exposed to this organization on campus. Texas families, regardless of political affiliation, want schools focused on academic excellence, not political activism from either side. We want our tax dollars and campaign contributions spent wisely. We believe in meritocracy and equal opportunity. Kirk dropped out of community college after one semester but spent years telling accomplished Black professionals they didn’t earn their degrees. That’s not conservative principle. That’s just prejudice. Patrick’s push comes as our state has already eliminated diversity programs, given political appointees control over hiring and curriculum, and forced out university presidents over ideological disputes. Schools should teach students to think independently, examine evidence, and form their own conclusions. They shouldn’t be recruiting grounds for any outside organization with this kind of record. I ask you to reject this proposal and keep our schools focused on education, not indoctrination. Texas students deserve better.