Are Turning Point Club America Chapters Appropriate for Colorado Public Schools?

  • Dec. 2025

    Several Turning Point USA Club America chapters have been approved at public high schools and universities in Colorado. This has sparked debate within Colorado communities regarding the appropriateness of these chapters in public schools. The establishment of Turning Point USA Club America clubs at two high schools in Eagle County has particularly raised concerns. Under federal law, public schools cannot deny student groups access to school facilities under the Equal Access Act. Enacted in 1984, this legislation is significant because it prohibits public secondary schools that receive federal funds from denying student groups access to school facilities based on the religious, political, or philosophical content of their meetings.

    However, questions remain: Are Turning Point USA Club America chapters suitable for public schools? What is TPUSA’s official position on school choice? Do they support the recently introduced Federal Education Savings Account program? What type of curricula does TPUSA advocate? Are they in favor of an honest and inclusive historical narrative that provides a comprehensive understanding of our nation, or do they endorse a sanitized version? Additionally, what is TPUSA’s position regarding science education? Should evolution be integrated into the science curriculum?

    Let’s explore Turning Point’s Education policy and the curriculum taught at their Turning Point Education Association-affiliated schools in Colorado to clarify their positions and build understanding.

    Where does Turning Point USA stand on School Choice?

    TPUSA considers school choice and ESAs a moral imperative and a way to make education, predominantly Christian education, more accessible by allowing taxpayer money to follow students. They strongly support expanding Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) at the state level and advocate for using state funds for private education options. Recently, Governor Polis has opted Colorado into the Federal ESA program. Will parents be able to use ESA funds to send their children to Turning Point Education Association-affiliated schools? In addition, it is worth noting that Colorado has already faced a lawsuit over the universal preschool program.

    In a Turning Point USA Facebook post, “Charlie Kirk Explains Why School Choice Is A Moral Imperative! It’s NOT The Government’s Money, It’s YOUR Money! #SchoolChoice #BigGovSucks “

    School affiliated with church hosting Trump event received nearly $1M in vouchers

    Turning Point Education website

    Turning Point USA maintains a separate Turning Point Education website that highlights its leadership, including Historian Dr. Bill Federer, one of the six co-founders of the Truth and Liberty Coalition, based in Woodland Park, Colorado. The website includes sections on Schools, Resources, Training, Association, and Affiliates. Under the Association tab, information about the Turning Point Education Association (TPEA) is provided, with a U.S. map illustrating 14 affiliated schools in Colorado, including Classical Christian private schools, a home-school program, and enrichment programs.

    What curricula do schools affiliated with the Turning Point Education Association(TPEA) use?

    Colorado schools affiliated with TPEA offer a range of Christian-based curricula, including Bob Jones Science, Abeka, the Old Testament, Singapore Math, ACSI/Purposeful Design Curriculum, the Exploring Creation Science series (Apologia Science), and Story of the World History Series.

    Curriculum Concerns

    Bob Jones Science (BJU) Press Science Curriculum

    • Theological and Ideological Criticisms
      • Exclusion of Alternate Views: Critics, including some Christian parents, argue that the curriculum is dogmatic and fails to allow students to evaluate multiple scientific perspectives.
      • Strict Young Earth Creationism (YEC): The curriculum is deeply rooted in a Biblical worldview that exclusively promotes Young Earth Creationism. Secular critics and some former students argue this leads to significant gaps in knowledge regarding mainstream scientific theories like evolution and climate change.
      • Historical Controversies: Due to BJU’s historical associations, some critics raise concerns about past stances on race and segregation, though the current curriculum focuses on fundamentalist Christian values. 

    Story of the World History Series

    • Eurocentrism
      • Despite efforts to include global history, some critics argue that the narrative remains Eurocentric and requires frequent supplementation to provide a truly diverse global perspective. 
      • Omitted Context: Some critics argue the curriculum oversimplifies or glosses over complex and dark topics, such as slavery or racism, in an effort to be age-appropriate. 

    ACSI/Purposeful Design Curriculum

    • Ideological Bias: Recent 2025 reports have labeled some of the content as “propaganda,” specifically criticizing the way it handles historical topics like slavery and its rejection of secular scientific theories. Some former students report having to “relearn” history and science after transitioning to college.

    Exploring Creation Science Series – Apologia Science for Junior and Senior High Levels

    • Young Earth Creationism (YEC) Focus: The curriculum is explicitly built on a Biblical worldview that teaches the earth was created in six days. Critics argue it presents flawed scientific concepts and denies widely accepted theories such as macro-evolution and billions-of-years geological timelines.
    • Outdated Science: Some critics point to the use of “Catastrophism” to explain geological phenomena, arguing it reflects a 1700s-era understanding of geology.
    • Scientific Errors: Detailed reviews of 3rd Edition texts (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry) have highlighted numerous conceptual and factual errors, including misrepresentations of the greenhouse effect and incorrect instructions for chemical formulas.
    • Climate Change Denial: The series has been criticized for dismissing environmental concerns as “hysterical environmentalist theories”. 

    Turning Point USA Current Events Curriculum (found on the Turning Point Education website)

    Under the Resources tab on the Turning Point Education website, the Current Events curriculum highlights Dr. Bill Federer, who serves as the Historian for Turning Point Education and is one of the six co-founders of the Truth and Liberty Coalition in Woodland Park, Colorado. Dr. Federer is a national speaker, author, and the president of Amerisearch, Inc., a publishing company focused on researching America’s rich heritage. Additionally, he is featured on the internet radio program, AMERICAN MINUTE.

    Constitution Curriculum

    Turning Point USA also offers Free Constitution lessons. Civics Alliance, the organization that attempted to get the Colorado Board of Education to adopt its American Birthright Social Studies Standards, is listed as a Constitution lesson resource, along with Hillsdale College and PragerU.

    Parent Reading Recommendation

    One of the Colorado Turning Point Education Association’s affiliate schools lists Pete Hegseth’s book, Battle for the American Mind: Uprooting a Century of Miseducation, as recommended reading for the school’s parents.

    What types of schools does Turning Point USA support?

    The Turning Point Education website says that Turning Point is committed to advancing all types of Christian, conservative values education with special emphasis on seeding 5C schools –Christian, Classical, Conservative, Collaborative, and Cost-affordable.

    Criticisms of Christian classical schools

    Ideological and Cultural Criticisms

    • Eurocentrism and Lack of Diversity: Critics argue the curriculum focuses almost exclusively on the “Western Canon” and “Great Books,” often prioritizing white, male authors and overlooking global perspectives.
    • Political Politicization: Some see the movement as becoming a vehicle for right-wing political activism, aiming to “save Western civilization” through a nationalist or “America-first” lens.
    • Elitism: The movement has been accused of fostering a “prep school mentality” or an air of intellectual superiority, which can alienate those outside its specific cultural or socioeconomic sphere. 

    Educational and Pedagogical Criticisms

    • Rigidity and Inflexibility: The “timeless” nature of classical education can be a disadvantage for neurodivergent students or those who require flexible teaching methods, as students are often expected to strictly conform to the model or leave.
    • Rejection of Modern Research: Some critics contend the movement disregards modern developmental learning research in favor of anachronistic traditional approaches.
    • “Box-Checking” and Quality Variation: As the movement grows, there are concerns that schools are “watering down” the classical tradition to meet demand, leading to inconsistent quality and a focus on outward appearances rather than genuine classical mastery. 

    Leadership and Historical Criticisms

    • Association with Controversial Figures: A significant criticism is the heavy influence of Douglas Wilson, whose views on race, gender, and Southern history have prompted some parents and educators to feel a “spiritual gag reflex” toward the movement’s origins.
    • Historical Accuracy: Critics claim the movement’s “history of education” is often a fictionalized narrative used to sell products, arguing that the modern “Trivium” model (Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric) is not how education actually functioned in ancient times. 

    Final Thoughts

    Are Turning Point USA Chapters appropriate for Colorado Public Schools?

    An argument can be made that Turning Point Club USA does not support public education, but instead supports Education Savings Accounts and State Voucher programs, which could potentially be used to attend religious private schools and Classical Charter Schools. Turning Point’s support of school choice encourages students & parents to leave Colorado public schools, which will suffer from the ongoing drain on public funds. Therefore, why allow an organization that is obviously hostile to public schools?

    The curricula implemented in Turning Point Education Association Affiliate schools are highly controversial. These schools adopt a Biblical worldview, in contrast to the secular education provided in Colorado public schools. Furthermore, Colorado has recently enacted legislation to integrate climate change into science standards, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive environmental education. However, curricula taught in Turning Point Education Association Affiliate Schools, such as the Exploring Creation Science Series, undermine Colorado’s Climate Change initiative by dismissing critical environmental issues tied to climate change. This discrepancy raises significant concerns about the quality and relevance of education in these affiliate schools.

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