A dispute between conservative commentator Candace Owens and Turning Point USA (TPUSA) erupted this week over an event at Nampa Christian School in Idaho featuring Erika Kirk, with Owens questioning whether students voluntarily attended and TPUSA’s Andrew Kolvet disputing her characterization of the gathering.
Owens then directly challenged Kolvet, asking whether students had signed up to attend or whether the school administration had organized the event as part of the regular school day. She argued that the gathering took place during the regular school day and was organized as a school assembly rather than as an optional Club America meeting. She also claimed parents were informed that they could not attend. TPUSA describes Club America as a high-school student movement , while its broader programming includes campus events featuring conservative speakers.
The controversy began after a post celebrating the event claimed that more than 500 high school students attended a TPUSA Club America tour stop at the school on September 18. The organization has also announced a nationwide fall 2026 university tour featuring Erika Kirk and other conservative figures.
The post said Erika Kirk delivered a message to students described as “America First leaders. “Parents have emailed me about another ‘secret’ event that Erika is doing today addressing middle schoolers and high schoolers in Idaho,” Owens wrote on X. She said the event was held during the day at a private Christian school and questioned why TPUSA was focusing on political messaging aimed at minors. “The students were forced to attend this event as a school assembly,” Owens said in an X post, adding that parents were informed they could not attend alongside them. “Did you actually never attend a school assembly in high school?” he wrote , arguing that school assemblies are different from regular student chapter meetings.
