30 Minutes ago in Washington, Erika Kirk was confirmed as
Teens Revolt Over Erika Kirk’s Visit To Their High School
Erika is turning her attention to high school students after hardly anyone at a state university bothered to show up to her event.
Students at a Phoenix high school are revolting against a planned visit from right-wing personality Erika Kirk.
After a sparsely attended Turning Point USA campus event, Erika is now turning her attention to high schoolers, with a planned event at Pinnacle High School in north Phoenix next week.But she is already not being met with open arms by students and parents.
“I don’t know why she’s coming here, to be honest,” Francisco Sanchez, a senior at Pinnacle High School, told 12 News Phoenix. “I think the topics that she talks about are too extremist for a school. I think there are better representatives we can have.”
Erika pictured at Charlie's funeral, which was held in Arizona at the Arizona Cardinals stadium.Daniel Cole/REUTERS
“It’s a little crazy because I would never have expected someone like her to show up at a high school,” high school senior Kasandra Acosta told the outlet.
“I’m pretty shocked. Honestly, I’m surprised it’s even happening,” she added.
Parents of students enrolled at the school told The Arizona Republic they were concerned about security--especially after earlier this week, Erika, who became CEO of her late husband Charlie Kirk’s TPUSA organization after his September killing, skipped an event at the University of Georgia over safety concerns.
“It’s not just your average citizen coming over to speak to the club. She brings politics with her, she brings division with her, just because everybody in America is divided,” Bobbe Noland, a parent of a Pinnacle student, told the Republic.
Vance, the second in line to the presidency, still attended the event earlier this week, despite security concerns with Erika.Jonathan Ernst/REUTERS
School officials told parents this week that students would see an increased security presence on campus during the event, prompting some parents to also demand that the school move her visit to after-school hours.
Phoenix Police told 12 News that since Erika’s visit was a private event, the responsibility for securing it rests with the event organizers and must be coordinated with the school district.
“We regularly work with community partners to support public safety during gatherings. As with any event, our officers will continue to monitor activity, review available information, and adjust deployment strategies as needed to help ensure a safe environment for students, staff, and the surrounding community,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
Her speaking appearance has been organized with the school’s Club America chapter, a TPUSA-affiliated organization. The right-wing nonprofit is headquartered in Phoenix, and she and Charlie lived in the nearby affluent suburb of Scottsdale for many years.The Daily Beast reached out to TPUSA for comment on the controversyStudents at Pinnacle High School are not too enthused by Erika's visit to campus next week.Daniel Cole/REUTERS
It’s not the first time she and her late husband stirred up controversy in Arizona’s public schools.
In 2021, Erika and Charlie raged against the Scottsdale Unified School District’s mask policy during the COVID-19 pandemic at a school board meeting. At the time, the couple did not have any children yet.
During the meeting, Charlie called the mask policy a “self-righteous measure” enacted to “abuse the children.”
“There is zero evidence to show that children are at a significant risk of catching or dying from the Chinese coronavirus,” he claimed, adding, “You have awoke a sleeping giant. I hope you enjoy your masked, short-term future here while it still lasts.”
The Kirks had welcomed their first child in August 2022, a year after they complained to a school board about its COVID policies.Samuel Corum/Getty Images
Erika, who grew up in Scottsdale but attended private Catholic school, went as far as to demand a moment of silence at the board meeting for “the kids who will end up committing suicide this upcoming school year in 2021 and 2022 because of your reckless and ego-centered leadership and lack thereof.”
“As Christians, we are told to pray for our leaders and that is what I will do every day,” she said. “May God have mercy on your souls for everything you guys are doing in this leadership position.”One Scottsdale parent called them out, pointing out that they didn’t even have children who were enrolled in the city’s public schools.
“While the agitators from outside our district would have you think that masks mandates are only in place at liberal public schools, the list of private and parochial schools also enacting mask mandates is far from short,” the parent said. “I applaud SUSD’s governing board.”
My sister kicked my preg/nant stomach “just to hear the sound it made.” When I tried to confront her, my parents immediately shielded her. “Erica, talk to us, honey. Did she even say anything to you?” they pleaded— as my sister sobbed her way over and kicked me again, harder this time. I blacked out. When I didn’t wake up, they scoffed. “Enough pretending. Get up. Erica’s been through enough.” My father snapped, “Stand up now—or I’ll let her kick you again.” Then my husband walked in. Panic spread. The doctor followed. One quiet sentence changed everything: “The baby isn’t moving anymore.” My husband turned to them—and that’s when their real nightmare began.
May you like
My name is Sarah, and inside my own home, I was merely a ghost. But today, I returned not as the scapegoat, but as a mother. 12 weeks pregnant, the doctor said my baby was perfect. Michael—my husband, the most wonderful man alive—held my hand tightly as we walked into the living room where Erica, my sister and the family's "Golden Child," sat like a queen holding court.
"So, you're actually pregnant? There's a thing inside you?" Erica narrowed her eyes, her voice dripping with jealousy.
"Yes, Erica," I replied, trying to stay calm.
She stepped closer, poking my stomach hard. It wasn't a touch; it was a prod. "Doesn't look like much. Are you sure it's even alive? If I hit it, does it cry?"
"Hey! Don't touch her!" Michael snapped, pushing her hand away.
But the tragedy struck faster than a blink. Erica pouted, then suddenly swung her leg. It wasn't a play-kick. Her foot connected squarely with my lower abdomen.
"Ahhh!" I doubled over, pain tearing through my mind.
Instead of rushing to me, my parents flocked to Erica, who instantly burst into fake tears. "She was just playing! You scared her, Sarah!" My dad barked, while I clutched my stomach in agony.
"She kicked me! She kicked my pregnant belly!" I screamed through tears.
"Stop being so dramatic," Erica suddenly stopped crying, her eyes locking onto mine, cold and dead. "I bet I can make the thing inside you quiet forever."
She lunged a second time. The shove sent me stumbling backward. My head smashed into the sharp corner of the oak coffee table. A blinding flash of white light, then darkness took me.
In the haze, I heard my dad's voice: "Get up, stop faking it for attention." I felt his shoe nudge my ribs.
Then, the atmosphere in the room shattered.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!"
The roar didn't sound human. It was Michael. He had just walked back in from parking the car. The scene before him: his unconscious wife on the floor, blood trickling from her temple, and his in-laws standing over her with looks of annoyance.
Michael dropped to his knees, his hands trembling as he checked my pulse.
"She's faking it, Michael..." My dad started to explain.
Michael looked up. The face of the gentle, intellectual lawyer was gone. In its place was the look of the Reaper himself. He whispered, his voice so cold it froze the entire room: "My wife is bleeding from her head. She is unconscious. If you say one more word, so help me God..."
