Chapter of conservative group at Arrowhead raising some parent concerns
A new chapter of a national conservative organization at Arrowhead High School, Turning Point USA, has drawn some parent concerns.
The student group's first meeting was the evening of May 21, according to its Instagram page, Turning Point USA Arrowhead.
"This one stood out to me because I know some of the rhetoric and operations of Turning Point," parent John Norcross said. "The founder at the national level of that club has said anti-LGBTQ things, has promoted firearms in schools. Their organization was involved in Jan. 6. There's no other club you could say that about."
Charlie Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA in 2012. The group's website says it has a presence on over 3,500 campuses and calls itself "the largest and fastest-growing youth organization in America."
The Anti-Defamation League says of TPUSA co-founder Charlie Kirk that "Kirk's views have led him to attack the transgender community several times" and that "the group continues to attract racists."
"While TPUSA leaders say they reject white supremacist ideology, known white nationalists have attended their events," the league's website said.
The Arrowhead chapter's adviser, Tom Truttschel, is a member of the Hartland Village Board and coach of Oconomowoc High School's girls lacrosse team. He did not immediately respond to phone or email messages seeking an interview.
Truttschel drew criticism in June 2022 for flying a flag that said "Joe and the Ho Gotta Go," referring to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, during the village of Hartland's Hometown Celebration parade. He later apologized at a village board meeting.
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet said in a phone interview that "there's nothing to be concerned about."
"Don't believe the occasional and random hit piece," he said. "Our students are amazing and this is a healthy and worthwhile organization to be a part of. It's just espousing traditional conservative values. If you're a really partisan liberal or progressive parent, that yeah you're not going to agree with the ideas, but hopefully we all can agree that we have the right as Americans to hold these ideas and to believe these things and to spread our ideas just like they have the right to do.
"Most communities are just thrilled to have us there, to have their kids participate in a conservative organization, especially with the size and impact that Turning Point has had," Kolvet said. "A presence on 3,500 college and high school campuses is extraordinary."
Parent shares concerns about Turning Point organization
Parent Carolyn Turcott said Arrowhead "already has this unfortunate national reputation for some racism," referring to an incident in which a racist social media post circulated among students at the school earlier this year.
Turcott also said she was concerned about the chapter because she has heard about some Turning Point speakers and leaders making racist,homophobic, antisemitic comments and comments against women. In an email to a reporter, Turcott provided several links to articles about the organization. One of those articles, by nonprofit Media Matters for America, listed over 20 incidents of racism by Turning Point members.
"It's unfortunate that there's students at Arrowhead that want to start this group because I feel that it perpetuates that reputation we have of racism," Turcott said in a May 20 phone interview. "I think we also have a reputation of being anti-LGBTQ students because of some of the policies the boards have made in the past."
Kolvet called Media Matters for America "a left wing op" that wants "to get normal Americans that have no idea who is funding these organizations to react negatively and think there's all these extremists in their midst." He said that it's a mainstream conservative belief that LGBTQ books shouldn't be on school library shelves.
He also pushed back on the Anti-Defamation League saying the group attracts racists. There are "numerous Black staff" within TPUSA, he said.
Superintendent says TPUSA is like any other club at Arrowhead
Arrowhead Superintendent Conrad Farner said the protocol for starting a club at the school is for students to submit a proposal to establish a club based on having enough student interest and an adviser. He said the school's director of athletics and activities, Ryan Mangan, oversees the clubs and handles those requests. He also said if a club has an adviser and there is nothing illegal or dangerous about the club, it's allowed to be established for a probationary period.
"If the club has significant participation after approximately one year, it can become a formal club (as opposed to probationary, with the potential to have a funded/paid adviser)," Farner said in an email to a reporter.
Farner said the club was approved in January. Students had been trying to establish the club for months prior, but needed to find an adviser. He said the school did not know how many students would participate or how often the club would meet.
"Many clubs meet rarely and cease to exist in a relatively short amount of time. How the club will actually function remains to be seen," Farner said.
He added that while Arrowhead prefers district staff to be club advisers, clubs can have non-faculty advisers, citing the school's robotics club as an example. He noted that Truttschel has coached for the district previously, so the district had already vetted him.
Farner said he has received "a few emails" about the group, saying there appeared to be "confusion and misunderstanding among some parents/community members." He noted that the club is not part of the school's curriculum and operates outside the school day. Participation in the club is voluntary.
"The club will not be able to exert any influence on any students beyond those who voluntarily participate in the club’s meetings," Farner said. "We will monitor the activity of the club like we do any other. Any inappropriate, illegal or dangerous activity will not be accepted. Applicable Board policies will be enforced consistently."
Farner noted that the school is not affiliated with Turning Point USA. He said he has not spoken to anyone from Turning Point USA and knows "very little" about the organization.
"The students who requested to have the club provided no indication that the club was about partisan politics; they wanted a forum to discuss their views on limited government and patriotism. The club invited guest speakers to the first meeting. It is not out of the ordinary for a club to bring in guest speakers," Farner said.
Scheduled speakers for the group's first meeting included Anthony Watson, a former Olympian and regular TPUSA speaker; Brett Galaszewski, the vice chair of the Republican Party of Milwaukee County; and Brandon Maley, chairman of the Dane County Republicans and a director with TPUSA.
Arrowhead doesn't appear to have a similar student group for liberal politics, according to a list of clubs on the school website.
Turcott said she didn't think students should be stopped from starting groups, but wished "it was consistent across the board." While Turcott had not heard of a student group being prohibited, she referred to the Arrowhead School Board's decision to ban safe space signs in 2023, saying the board "has been quite clear in the past that there would be no political symbols allowed at our school."
"It was determined that safe spaces were political and divisive. This is despite many of our LGBTQ students begging the school board to allow it. So I’m not understanding how rainbows are political and TPUSA is not," Turcott said in an email to a reporter.
Are there other Turning Point USA chapters at Milwaukee area high schools?
Arrowhead's chapter is included on a map of Turning Point USA's chapters, "activism hubs" and "faith groups." The map also shows chapters at Kettle Moraine and Muskego high schools, as well as at four other high schools in Oshkosh, Juneau, Waunakee and Williams Bay.There are chapters at numerous Wisconsin universities and colleges.
Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AlecJohnson12.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Chapter of conservative group at Arrowhead raising some parent concerns
