Ron DeSantis Announces High-School Chapters of Turning Point USA Across Florida Following Charlie Kirk’s Death

29 October 2025

A photo of Ron DeSantis and Charlie Kirk. Credit : Win McNamee/Getty; Chip Somodevilla/Getty

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has revealed a sweeping new partnership with conservative youth organisation Turning Point USA (TPUSA) that will see chapters established in high schools across the Sunshine State and an award renamed in memory of the group’s founder, Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed in September 2025.

Speaking at an event on October 27, DeSantis emphasised the state’s commitment to ensuring that any student who wants to form a TPUSA-backed club called “Club America” in their high school will be able to do so without obstruction. He notably stated that “there shouldn’t be any impediments … and certainly no discrimination. We’re not going to allow that.” His remarks included a clear warning to school districts, underlining that legal action could be taken by Florida’s Attorney General if districts blocked the initiative.

The surge in interest for TPUSA chapters followed Charlie Kirk’s death during a campus event on September 10. TPUSA announced it had received over 120,000 inquiries to start new chapters, a momentum that clearly informed DeSantis’s announcement. In addition to the high-school rollout, DeSantis also revealed that the Florida Civics & Debate Initiative will rename its flagship award the “Charlie Kirk Prize” payable at the state championship in April 2026, further solidifying the group’s new partnership with the state.

While DeSantis framed the move as part of a broader effort to advance civic education and student agency, critics argue it represents a politically charged expansion of conservative organisation influence into public schools. TPUSA is known for advocating limited government, free-market principles and individual liberty on campuses, but has also drawn scrutiny for its aggressive posture and involvement in culture-war issues.

The partnership signals a strategic alignment between state government and a national political-youth organisation, elevating TPUSA from campus activism into public-school infrastructure. As high-school students engage with “Club America” chapters, the debate over the role of ideological organisations in school settings is likely to intensify.