Freedom of Speech Isn’t Optional

In the American public school system, we’ve all heard the phrase “speak your truth.” 

On the surface, that motto sounds encouraging. Unfortunately, in practice, this healthy guideline has turned into :

“Speak your truth, only if it aligns with the majority.”

As President of the largest High School Turning Point USA Chapter nationwide, I see this harmful rhetoric play out daily.

My school and others like it publicly celebrate and pamper liberal organizations. Pride clubs, walkouts, and protests – presented as brave acts of self-expression – typically face no resistance from administrators. Meanwhile, conservative groups are treated as “problematic” or “disruptive.” 

Every day, numerous Republican groups face online harassment, negative peer pressure, and administrative obstacles – leading to a toxic environment. Unfortunately, the public has allowed schools’ unfairness to become normalized. 

On May 9th, 2022, my high school peers participated in a walkout for abortion rights, unsanctioned by staff during usual school hours. Thankfully, the school treated the protest as  “covered by students’ First Amendment rights.” However, when our TPUSA chapter sought to offer free pro-life flags to teachers, the administration said the offer had no place in a public school.

This September, our TPUSA chapter prepared to host Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb to speak on the topic: Two Genders, One Truth. After submitting event flyers for approval, the school board denied the event graphic and banned Cobb from speaking. After legal pressure, the school board reversed its decision, and Cobb was rescheduled.

Were we praised for standing up for our First Amendment rights? Commended for our bravery in the face of oppression? Applauded for our patriotic perseverance?

No.

Instead, we were compared to the KKK by one of our own school board members, Allison Spillman. Spillman’s comment quickly went viral, even being shared on platforms like Fox News and Newsmax, earning her fierce backlash overnight.

Spillman claimed she desired a space where all students could feel safe. However, to everyone else, it was clear that by “all students,” she meant the students she agreed with.

This one-sided, dangerous rhetoric is a problem for schools across the nation. Thousands of studies and polls investigating this issue all reach the same conclusion: activism is encouraged, as long as it aligns with the majority.

A 2021 AEI survey found 61% of conservative students felt they faced uncivil treatment regularly, compared to 10% of liberal students.

Similarly, a 2021 Manhattan Institute study found that 90% of Trump-supporting students wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing their views with a peer, and an alarming 85% of their Democratic peers feel that Trump supporters should stay silent.

These statistics set off alarms on many levels. I am not surprised that almost ⅔ of conservatives face uncivil treatment. I’ve experienced it every day.

But 90% of Trump-supporting students being successfully fearmongered by the left? 

That is insane.

The left’s efforts to construct a culture of fear, silence, and suppression in student political life is vile, disgusting, and a threat to America’s future. Ultimately, this horrendous culture pushed a generation of students to habitually self-censor.

Manhattan Institute studies reveal that a shocking 70% of conservative students in humanities/social sciences self-censor. 

Take Samantha Fulnecky for another example, a junior at the University of Oklahoma who received an F for citing the Bible in her gender stereotype essay, demonstrating the dangerous reality of double standards for conservatives in college and high school.

This political atmosphere in college and high school alike should be alarming to everyone, regardless of party affiliation. Once this culture of discrimination is normalized, any dissenting viewpoint- Republican, Democrat, Independent- can be targeted. 

The alternative offers so much potential. When different viewpoints can join together and have true civil dialogue, all sides grow closer to our founding ideals. I have seen teenagers engage in high-level ideological exchanges in our TPUSA meetings, better than some adults on Capitol Hill. 

As such, a crucial need exists for holding teachers, administrators, school board members, and legislators accountable for upholding the First Amendment and promoting an environment where all students can speak their voice- without fear of retribution, bullying, or consequences in the classroom.

I charge all patriots to stay vigilant and work hard to change the negative stigma around different viewpoints in our education system – including those on the left – and create a space where all students feel full access to their First Amendment rights.

God Bless.