STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A conservative movement focused on America’s youth has made its way to New York City’s reddest borough.
After the Advance/SILive.com reported in late January about a new Turning Point USA chapter at the College of Staten Island, the paper has gotten wind about efforts to open several more around the Island.
St. Joseph by the Sea High School took to its Facebook page to promote one of its seniors setting up a chapter, and a Moore Catholic student posted a video to his Instagram page about his own efforts trying to bring the conservative organization to his school.
The Moore student’s Instagram has since been made private after the school declined to allow a Turning Point chapter in its halls.
Moore Catholic President Gina DeSantis responded to an Advance/SILive.com inquiry with a lengthy email saying that while the school encourages civic engagement, the private institution does not support political organizations or clubs of any kind.
“As a Catholic school, Moore Catholic High School does not support or sponsor political organizations or clubs of any kind, as they do not align with our mission,” DeSantis wrote. “Moore offers a warm and supportive environment that inspires students’ interest, enthusiasm, and self-confidence as they pursue academic excellence, creative expression and spiritual growth.”
“While we value and encourage young people’s interest in civic engagement and responsible citizenship, our primary commitment is to form students through faith in action,” her email continued. “Our educational mission calls us to form disciples rooted in the Gospel, dedicated to service, and prepared to engage the world through the principles of Catholic social teaching.”
The Rev. Michael Reilly, St. Joseph by the Sea’s principal, took a decidedly different approach to the Turning Point chapter at his school.
He told the Advance/SILive.com Tuesday that the school does not support partisan organizations or political activism, but that he saw the Turning Point chapter at Sea as a group focused on civic engagement and traditional values.
“This is not an official representative of Turning Point at the institutional level. It does not speak on behalf of the school, the Archdiocese [of New York], or the Catholic Church, and it operates independently of a national organization’s political agenda,” he said. “We’re here mostly for the devotion to the country, to the foundation of the country, to the founding fathers, to the Bill of Rights, and, of course, to the faith dimension of it, because this generation is definitely getting engaged in the faith.”
He said the club would have “strong guardrails” on its activities and two faculty advisors to ensure it steers clear of political activism.
Turning Point USA, which has not responded to multiple Advance/SILive.com requests for comment, has strict guidelines of its own prohibiting explicit political activism from its high school chapters, which it dubs “Club America.”
Specifically, the “Club America” charter agreement prohibits endorsements of or campaigns for public office candidates, but allows club officers to do so on their own not on behalf of the chapter.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist assassinated last year, founded the national organization, which has seen a surge in local support since his death.
In its filings with the IRS, Turning Point describes itself as an organization focused on the restoration of “ traditional American values like patriotism, respect for life, liberty, family, and fiscal responsibility.”
Attempts to contact Staten Island college students involved with the organization have been unsuccessful.