Debate over proposed Turning Point USA club reaches Hononegah board

Voices from across the community filled the Oct. 15, 2025 Hononegah Community High School Board of Education meeting, where students, parents and alumni shared different opinions about a proposal to form a new student group, Club America [PDF] through Turning Point USA. (Quotes in this article are taken from public comments made during the Oct. 15 Hononegah Board of Education meeting.)

How the Turning Point proposal began

Earlier this fall, Rockton-Roscoe News reported on student Kennlee Rayann’s role in a flag-lowering moment that helped inspire her effort to start a Turning Point USA chapter at Hononegah. 

Turning Point USA, co-founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery, promotes civic engagement and conservative principles on high-school and college campuses. Opponents, such as the American Association of University Professors, say the group promotes "racist, homophobic and transphobic speech." The Anti-Defamation League says it does "not consider TPUSA to be an extremist group."

Kirk, who had become a prominent national voice for conservative youth activism, was fatally shot on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during an event on his American Comeback Tour. The tragedy brought fresh attention to the way schools handle safety and free speech, the same questions now facing Hononegah’s board as it considers a chapter of Turning Point USA Club America.

Read more about how the Hononegah proposal began:

• One student’s voice brought the flags down at Hononegah
• Hononegah's flag protocols after the death of Charlie Kirk

Students and parents urge board to approve club

Senior Kennlee Rayann (Pitterle) opened public comment, sharing how much effort has gone into starting the club and her goal to lead it as president.

“It is just sad that we have to wait for that now because we have been doing so much work on our end,” she said. Kennlee told board members that organizers had already attracted about 40 interested students but faced online harassment.

“We have been called Nazis, fascists and homophobic,” she said. “Our treasurer was told that he should kill himself because he is the treasurer of our club. That disheartens me.”

Kennlee added that the group’s goals were educational and faith-based. “It is learning about our Constitution. It is about our government. Some might not want to learn that, that’s OK. We’re not going to force it on anybody; it’s open to everyone.”

Jayden Gallagly, Turning Point USA’s regional student advocate for the Rockford area, said the organization is “a nonprofit educational group that supports freedom and American constitutional rights.” He cited the federal Equal Access Act, saying that if other non-curricular clubs such as the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliance) exist, the district must also allow Club America.

He alleged that a social media account had targeted club members and called for an investigation. “The public support is fully behind these students,” he said. “If anything happens to them, it will come down on the school board.”

Several speakers agreed with those points. Sophomore Monica Yoder said schools should encourage open discussion. “The First Amendment gives every American the right to freedom of speech and expression. This right doesn’t stop at the doors of our high school,” she said.

Parent Donna Gill added, “To have a chapter here gives all students a chance to participate and to speak. They deserve to have that opportunity.”

Graduate Constance Gleasman said the proposed club reflected her family’s long-standing belief in open dialogue. “These young people wish to be able to discuss their faith with people who are like-minded,” she said.

Parent Victoria Winterland argued that other student groups already express identity or belief. “You either accept everything or you don’t,” she said. “If you don’t want to go to their meetings, don’t show up.”

Opponents raise concerns about divisiveness and founder’s views

Others urged the board to reject the proposal, citing statements and materials associated with Turning Point USA.

Speaker John Ivy Ping spoke in opposition, referencing statements made by Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during past events and podcasts. Ping read a quote attributed to Kirk in which he criticized aspects of the Civil Rights Act and the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

“Turning Point USA creates hostility for our teachers and other students,” Ping said. “They have a doxing program where if you don’t agree with what a teacher is saying or the syllabus, they can take that teacher online, share their information, and harass them.” One of the group's projects is the School Board Watchlist.

Ping said that kind of environment would make teachers fearful to discuss evidence-based topics in class. He also objected to what he described as “historical inaccuracies and Christian nationalist messages” in the group’s content, adding that Kirk had promoted views suggesting that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. “This is counter to everything I learned in World History class,” Ping said. “It wasn’t in our original Pledge of Allegiance or on our money.”

He also cited comments from a podcast in which Kirk referenced anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, saying that such views contradict Turning Point USA’s claim of inclusivity. “How can a group say they are advocating for openness when their founder didn’t think other people should have the same rights?” he said. “The group founded in this man’s morals is going to exemplify and try to push forth his morals to everyone.”

Alumnus Brenda Fisher apologized to Kenlee for the harassment she described but opposed bringing the organization to school. But she added, “This group is a Christian nationalist group,” she said. “To me, Christian is a religious group; it belongs in church, not at school.” She urged the board to read Turning Point’s own materials, which she said promote indoctrination rather than education.

Student Tessa Myers said the club’s political nature and online “activism kits,” including one promoting gun rights, would intimidate some classmates. “If I walked into school and saw that ‘guns are the greatest equalizer,’ I would be a little intimidated by that,” she said.

Student and SOAR mentor Eleanor Fane said she cared deeply for her friend Kennlee Pitterle but believed “the hate they are receiving” showed the idea was not worth pursuing through a school club.

Student proposes progressive club as additional alternative

Aiden Phommach proposed forming The Young Progressives Club as a constructive counterpart to Turning Point. “The criticism is not hate nor a call for censorship,” he said. “It is a pure aspect of the exercise of democracy.” He said his club would advocate for living wages, women’s rights, public-school funding, climate justice and equality. “Our challenge is to ensure peaceful co-existence between our two organizations,” he told the board.

Parent Mr. Yoder concluded that students should be allowed to meet with others who share their beliefs. “These are our future leaders,” he said. “They want the opportunity to express themselves and have open discussion.”

Board president praises respectful discussion

After hearing more than a dozen speakers, Board President Dave Kurlinkus thanked everyone for remaining respectful throughout the debate. “That says more about Hononegah than anything else,” he said.

The process to form a club at HCHS

Superintendent Mike Dugan explained the process of how clubs are formed at Hpnonegah. Any student who is interested in starting a club can pick up an application at the athletic office, find a staff or faculty sponsor, and recruit 15 kids that are interested in joining. Dugan said, "We have had pinball, ukulele, horseback riding, fencing, GSA, Grace on Campus... We had Students for a Democratic Society, and Young Republicans in the past."

Each is approved by semester. If that club maintains two full semesters of activity, then it is a recognized club. The sponsor is compensated by the district.

Clubs and activities at HCHS cover academics, such as the Scholastic Bowl or the Academic Challenge (ACES), baking, fishing, sports, Anime/Manga, Intramural, Cinematic, Creative Endeavors Art Club, Chess Club, music, theater, Robotics, Renaissance, National Honor Society, Key Club, Life Unified, Grace on Campus, Gaming, Gaia- Environmental Club, Special Olympics, Photography and a Paranormal Club, Genders and the Sexualities Alliance, and many others.

Meetings of the Hononegah Board of Education are open to the public and are usually held on the third Wednesday of the month, which would be November 19.