UPDATE Jan. 28: Since the publication of this article, the location has changed.  The previously mentioned staff member will not host the meeting on Thursday.

UPDATE Jan 29: It was previously reported that the meeting on January 29th will be the inaugural meeting; however the wording may be misleading.  The club has already had informal meetings this school year. The meeting for January 29th has been classified as a “meeting” or “debate.”

The Claw will continue to update this article to keep the community informed. 

On Thursday Jan. 29, Campolindo’s newest club, “Club America” will be hosting a meeting. Club America is an officially sanctioned chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), an organization that, according to its mission statement, plans “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.”

TPUSA was founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative activist who described himself as a Christian and a nationalist. Kirk’s death on Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at a TPUSA event, drew mixed reactions across the globe. While supporters praised his advocacy and defense of the first amendment, opponents expressed outrage at his rhetoric, and in select cases, happiness at his death. Since his assassination, the number of Club America chapters has more than doubled, from 1,200 to over 3,000 across the country.

According to Club America president*, the club was formed in response to curricula in Ethnic Studies and Human and Social Development (HSD) classes. The president said he takes issue with how concepts such as equity and privilege are taught. He argues they are presented without nuance, “I don’t think equity is a good thing all the time. It can be [good] in some instances and it could be bad in others.” These sentiments are shared by TPUSA, which frequently argues that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) initiatives undermine “American values.”

The president also expressed discomfort with lessons that, in his view, frame racism and sexism as affecting only certain groups. The president points to assignments that, according to him, identified men as privileged and racism as targeting only “non-whites.” He also criticized race-based instructional materials, including videos that asked white people to evaluate whether or not they were racist. “I [think] that the very idea that ‘if you’re white [you’re] racist’ is racist towards whites.” The president also raised objections to abortion being presented as an option in HSD. “Abortion is morally wrong and murder shouldn’t be taught as an option to the act of giving new life into the world.” Club America intends to offer spaces for students to talk about controversial topics like these.

Sophomore David Naumenko, the president of The Socratic Club, a forum to discuss different interesting topics in an academic fashion, had this to say about the opening of Club America: “Even if I consider your public opinions or political opinions very incorrect, I think you still should be able to form [it] into a club.” However, he also cautioned that the club’s reception “may not be so friendly” given the campus community’s historically left-leaning views.

As the club begins to hold meetings, its presence adds yet another perspective at a time of great political and social turmoil. The president finished by emphasizing that the goal of Club America is not to attack teachers or students but to encourage open discussion. “I made this club to build bridges and not to destroy them.”

*The name has been omitted to preserve the privacy of this individual.