JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Wednesday, April Carney, Vice Chair of the Duval County School Board, proposed a policy change to allow Turning Point USA high school chapters to be formed within the district.
Carney’s proposal came during a Policy Handbook Committee Meeting.
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“I have been getting some phone calls from parents about receiving pushback from teachers where students have come forward saying that they wanted to open a Turning Point USA chapter,” Carney said. “I think it’s a violation of the First Amendment to have the teacher to say ‘No, I am not willing to sponsor.’”
The push comes in the aftermath of the assassination of TPUSA’s co-founder, Charlie Kirk.
RELATED: Education commissioner to investigate educators posting ‘despicable comments’ about Charlie Kirk
In a section covering student clubs and organizations, the Duval County School Board Policy Manual states:
“Each organization shall have a certificated administrator or staff member, appointed by the principal to serve as a sponsor or advisor.”
Carney proposed changing the wording to allow someone other than a teacher to serve as a sponsor.
“A student should be able to go to somebody else, another district employee that’s cleared with a Level 2 background check or a community member that’s willing to step up and do that role if they passed a Level 2 background check,” Carney said.
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Yasmina White, who has kids enrolled in the school district, said she’s concerned about the policy change proposal because she wouldn’t know who would oversee the club.
“Why are we wanting to bring these random people into our school to support a club? Teachers obviously don’t want to support it because it’s severely controversial. Because right now teachers are under the gun,” White said.
In Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, the following high schools are listed as having TPUSA chapters, according to the organization’s website:
- Camden County High School
- Ridgeview High School, Clay County
- Crescent City High School, Putnam County
- Beachside High School, St. Johns County
- Creekside High School, St. Johns County
- St. Augustine High School, St. Johns County
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We spoke with Carney more in depth about her proposal today.
PHONER: April Carney / Vice Chairman, Duval County School Board:
“Can we adjust our student-led organization policy to open sponsorship to a parent or a community member that has passed a background check and gone through our volunteer process so that a student would be able to start a club of their choosing without having to rely on a teacher?” Carney asked.
We also reached out to Turning Point USA several times on Thursday to get a comment on this and did not hear back by the time the story aired.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier posted a video on social media with Carney on Thursday afternoon and said his Office of Parental Rights “will take legal action against any schools or districts that are preventing TPUSA clubs from existing on campus.”
Our AG’s Office of Parental Rights will take legal action against any schools or districts that are preventing TPUSA clubs from existing on campus. pic.twitter.com/L96icpSQue
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) September 25, 2025
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