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Texas has launched a partnership with Turning Point USA to create chapters of the right-wing organization on every high school campus in the state.

Gov. , Lt. Gov. and Turning Point USA Senior Director Josh Thifault revealed the initiative during a news conference at the Governor鈥檚 Mansion on Monday. They did not outline any plans that would require schools to initiate the clubs, but Abbott said that he expects 鈥渕eaningful disciplinary action鈥� to take place against 鈥渁ny stoppage of TPUSA in the great state of Texas.鈥�

鈥淟et me be clear: Any school that stands in the way of a Club America program in their school should be reported immediately to the Texas Education Agency,鈥� the governor said, referring to the name of the high school clubs.

The announcement comes after Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath, who stood behind Abbott at Monday鈥檚 gathering, privately met with Thifault in early November to discuss expanding the organization鈥檚 presence in the state鈥檚 schools, which was by The Texas Tribune. Four days after that meeting, Patrick said he would $1 million in campaign funds to help bring the project to fruition.

Turning Point USA was founded by Charlie Kirk, the late right-wing activist who was often praised by conservatives as a champion of free speech and criticized for comments that many other Americans found hateful toward LGBTQ+ communities, non-Christians, people of color and women. Kirk was killed in early September while speaking on a college campus in Utah.

Following Kirk鈥檚 death, Abbott and Morath accused some teachers of posting social media remarks promoting violence and mocking the conservative activist. The state has since begun investigating submitted to the education agency about educators鈥� alleged comments 鈥� a move that considering teachers鈥� First Amendment protections. The agency has typically conducted such investigations for violations like threats or abuse.

Kirk鈥檚 organization has traditionally operated on college campuses, promoting itself as a hub for young people committed to conservative values. The group is also known for having created a so-called professor watchlist, which allows users to search for educators perceived as supporting and promoting liberal viewpoints in the classroom. Turning Point鈥檚 work has at times caused tension, particularly among who have because of the negative spotlight placed on them by the organization.

The group鈥檚 鈥淐lub America鈥� chapters, meanwhile, operate in high schools. The clubs aim to 鈥渂uild strong networks, spearhead impactful initiatives, help students register to vote, and inspire meaningful conversations about the foundations of a free society,鈥� according to .

Turning Point organizers say they have received about starting local chapters since Kirk鈥檚 death, while claiming that some students wanting to launch chapters have faced pushback from their schools鈥� administrators.

Republican officials in Oklahoma and Florida have also announced partnerships with Turning Point to expand the organization鈥檚 presence. Those partnerships rely on interested students to initiate the clubs, while Turning Point provides them with organizational support.

Oklahoma鈥檚 former right-wing superintendent, Ryan Walters, had to go after the accreditation of schools that refused to welcome the conservative group.

Petitions calling for of the school chapters have also emerged, with some students and parents the national organization for what they describe as 鈥渞acist, homophobic, and sexist hate speech on college campuses across America.鈥� The Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group that tracks extremism, Turning Point as an organization with a strategy of sowing fear 鈥渢hat white Christian supremacy is under attack by nefarious actors, including immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and civil rights activists.鈥�

Texas鈥� partnership with Turning Point marks the latest attempt by Republican officials to push education further to the right, after years of them accusing public schools of indoctrinating students with left-leaning beliefs about race and gender. The state, for example, has passed laws schools to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms 鈥� an effort currently facing 鈥� and on how educators teach America鈥檚 history of slavery and racism.

Abbott on Monday sought to distance Turning Point from any particular political party, comparing it to organizations like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes currently present in many public schools.

鈥淭his is about values,鈥� Abbott said. 鈥淭his is about constitutional principles. This is about a restoration of who we are as a country.鈥�

The governor acknowledged that it is highly unlikely he would endorse a similar initiative for more progressive, left-leaning causes, but added that 鈥渋t would not be illegal鈥� for them to exist in public schools. Abbott signed earlier this year, a sweeping state law that with an LGBTQ+ focus.

Existing partnerships between Turning Point and other states have already about the constitutionality of state governments using their resources to promote political causes in public schools, with legal experts saying it鈥檚 unclear whether the initiatives cross any lines but that they do warrant further observation.

Abbott and Patrick said Monday that Texas already has more than 500 high schools with Club America chapters. Thifault said Turning Point鈥檚 goal is to have 20,000 chapters in high schools across the nation.

The president of the Texas American Federation of Teachers, Zeph Capo, recently told the Tribune that groups with a divisive political presence like Turning Point may have a place on college campuses. But he does not think that they belong in high schools, where students are more impressionable.

Disclosure: Southern Poverty Law Center has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete聽.

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