On Thursday, Oct. 8, students lined the front entrance of the Student Union at Springfield College, silently holding signs in protest of the recent addition of a Turning Point USA chapter to campus.
The club was approved and established during the fall semester, prompting concerns among some students about the organization’s political views and what its presence could mean for the campus community.
Founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery, Turning Point USA is a national organization that advocates for conservative political principles. According to its website, Turning Point USA’s mission is to “identify, educate, train, and organize Americans to promote the principles of freedom.” The organization reports over 1500 chapters launched nationwide, with that number only continuing to grow.
Although the protest remained silent, students used their signs to communicate their opposition to the club and the allowance of its establishment.
Messages included ‘Liberty and Justice for ALL,’ ‘Hatred is not freedom,’ ‘What’s there to debate about rape?’ and ‘Wrong turn SC, this is not humanics’
For some students, the protest was about more than disagreement over political ideologies. They said the establishment of the chapter raised questions about the values the college represents and whether students who feel targeted by the organization’s messaging are supported by the community and administration.
One student who attended the protest and requested anonymity said, “It sends a message that the school supports those views. We wanted to show other people on campus that disagreed with the organization that they aren’t alone.”
The protest also highlights different interpretations of the true meaning of freedom of expression and what it looks like on a college campus. The signs served as a public statement of opposition, even as participants chose to remain silent throughout it.
For some students, the concerns connected back to Springfield’s emphasis on humanics, which centers on educating students in spirit, mind and body for leadership in service to others.
“Humanics is about service through leadership to others,” the student said. “I don’t think that a club focused on putting other people down through debating on if they have a right to exist fits with that.”
Turning Point USA has drawn national controversy for its advocacy of conservative politics and statements made by its late founder, Kirk. Some supporters of the organization believe the club can encourage freedom of speech and political debate on various topics, while critics have raised concerns about its rhetoric and the impact of its messaging, especially on marginalized communities.
Students who started the club went through the same establishment process as the rest to become a recognized club on campus. That process includes having eight or more interested members, an advisor and getting approval from the Office of Student Engagement.
As the chapter becomes a part of Springfield College’s campus community, the protest reflects a larger debate on the challenge of balancing freedom of speech, political freedom and the responsibility that institutions both private and public have to maintain an inclusive and safe environment for all students.
As of publication, both the school and Office of Student Engagement have not come out with a response to the student concerns. The Student reached out to the Turning Point USA chapter at Springfield College and did not receive a comment.