Opposition to State-Endorsed Coercion of Schools - Turning Point USA Partnership

Governor, I am writing to express my opposition to the reported plan to partner with Turning Point USA in a way that would penalize schools through fines or other sanctions for denying that organization access to campus. This approach replaces local governance with state-imposed coercion. It undermines institutional autonomy, chills academic freedom, and politicizes public education through enforcement rather than consent. Schools should not be compelled—under threat of financial punishment—to host outside political organizations, regardless of ideology. That is not viewpoint neutrality; it is compelled association. Public schools are accountable to students, parents, and locally elected boards. They are not extensions of partisan infrastructure. Using state power to mandate access for a specific political group sets a precedent that will not remain ideologically contained. If the state can force this access today, it can force different access tomorrow. If the goal is free expression, the correct path is equal treatment under existing policies, not selective enforcement backed by fines. If the goal is civic education, it should be pursued through curriculum, not intimidation. I urge you to abandon any policy that punishes schools for exercising reasonable, content-neutral control over their campuses. This proposal erodes trust in state leadership and damages the credibility of public education. -Concerned Tax PAYER