Parents protest school event celebrating America 250 over ties to TPUSA

A school assembly celebrating America’s 250th anniversary sparked a small backlash from some parents at a California junior high school over the event's ties to conservative organizations like Turning Point USA.

Around 25 demonstrators gathered outside the Canyon Hills Junior High School in Chino Hills last Friday to protest the school hosting the "History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour," an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education that selects one school per state and aims to help students deepen their understanding of America’s history and founding principles. 

Some parents and other members of the public who demonstrated said there should have been an option for parents to opt their child out and questioned the program’s connection to groups like TPUSA, the conservative youth organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last September.

In response to those who opposed Friday’s assembly, Savannah Newhouse, the U.S. Department of Education press secretary, said that a “love of country and celebration of America’s history is not partisan.”

“Engaging young students with fun games and questions like ‘When was our nation founded?’ and ‘Who primarily wrote the Declaration of Independence?’ isn’t indoctrination — it’s sparking excitement about the story of freedom and democracy,” Newhouse told The Christian Post. 

“Those who oppose these truths should appreciate the freedoms they enjoy and benefit from as they are able to protest and gather. If someone considers this partisan, it suggests they’re more influenced by left-wing narratives about the tour than by the truth of the tour itself,” Newhouse added. “'History Rocks!' is exactly what its name suggests: a nationwide celebration reminding students that history matters — and yes, it rocks."

The “History Rocks!” initiative is part of the Education Department’s celebrations of the nation's 250th birthday, done in partnership with Freedom 250 and coordinated with the America 250 Civics Education Coalition. 

The America 250 Civics Education Coalition is a national partnership comprising more than 50 organizations, including TPUSA, Hillsdale College and the America First Policy Institute.

Those who protested the event on Friday claimed that it was too political and not appropriate for children, according to the Ontario, California-based Daily Bulletin.

In the days leading up to the assembly, some parents and grandparents expressed unease about how it would present the country’s history and the lack of an opt-out option, according to CBS News' LA affiliate. 

"The things they teach and the ideas that they like to bring into communities and into students are concerning to me," a parent named Kristi Hirst told CBS.  

A spokesperson for the Chino Valley Unified School District, which oversees Canyon Hills Junior High, told CP that some public comments characterized the assembly as a supplemental curriculum subject to parental review and opt-out provisions, which the district “is always committed to observing.”

“However, Friday’s assembly did not fall under this provision as the trivia activity was not supplemental curriculum or instruction,” the school district spokesperson explained. 

According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Education, over 1,000 students participated in interactive games designed to strengthen their understanding of American history and civic literacy. 

On Sunday, the school district shared photos and videos of the “History Rocks!” assembly on its Instagram page, highlighting the trivia game that tested students’ knowledge about U.S. history and gave them a chance to earn prizes.

Students were expected to attend the assembly for supervision purposes, but participating in the trivia game was voluntary, according to the school district spokesperson.

The school district spokesperson also told CP that the assembly didn’t include speakers from TPUSA or other conservative organizations that had raised concerns among some parents. 

“Speakers who provided remarks to students and staff during the assembly included two Canyon Hills JHS students, Board of Education President Sonja Shaw, Senior Advisor for Civic Education in the Office of the Secretary of Education, Ms. Katie Gorka, and Mr. Michael Plue with the Travis Manion Foundation,” the representative said. 

Students who attended the assembly also said there was nothing political during the event, with one student describing it as a normal rally about American history, CBS reported.