Charlie Kirk, the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA, was recently invited to speak to students about the right to bear arms by outspoken 2A advocate and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas high school student Kyle Kashuv.
Kirk was excited about the opportunity, posting on his Twitter account that “I have been invited by students at Parkland high school to come as a guest speaker in the coming 2 weeks. I excitedly accept and look forward to discussing our right to bear arms in front of a captive student audience This is of course unless I get blocked by the administration.”
Twenty-four hours later, school administrators vetoed the idea, stating through spokesperson Cathleen Brennan that “The school’s administration has met with the student organizers and advised them that non-school sponsored, student-initiated guest speaker assemblies/meetings are not permitted to take place on campus.”
In addition to students protesting the event, some parents suggested that Kirk and Kashuv hold their forum off campus because the wounds of the school shooting are still too fresh.
Kashuv believes school administrators are trying to silence pro-Second Amendment discussion. He also points out NBA player Dwyane Wade visited the school after meeting with victim’s parents and donating to March for Our Lives.
It's quite interesting that @DwyaneWade was allowed on campus to push gun control – on what appears to have been a student invite – but @charliekirk11 isn't allowed to.
To say that @DwyaneWade wasn't pushing an agenda and was just there to console is false. pic.twitter.com/GqOZMLUFpc
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 13, 2018
Since the event can’t be held on campus, Kirk and Kashuv will be holding it off campus at a location to be determined.
I am pleased to announce that @charliekirk11 will be speaking to the students, off MSD campus, on April 24th! (Location still TBD).
The topic of conversation will be how to save lives without violating the Constitution and in ways that actually work.
— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 13, 2018