The planned visit of Erika Kirk to a Phoenix high school has sparked backlash from students, with some teenagers openly questioning the reason for her appearance.
In recent months, the TPUSA CEO has been making visits to colleges and schools, amid rising scrutiny of her activities as the head of the non-profit her husband, Charlie Kirk, founded.
Erika Kirk was recently criticized for not appearing at a TPUSA event in Georgia after she cited security concerns as the reason for her absence.
Erika Kirk’s Topics Were Slammed As ‘Too Extremist’ For A High School
Earlier this year, Erika Kirk made a surprise appearance at Grand Canyon University and was also scheduled to visit the University of Georgia in April, though that appearance was canceled at the last minute.
She is now expected to visit Pinnacle High School in North Phoenix, but the planned appearance has already drawn criticism from students.
One student, named Francisco Sanchez, questioned why the TPUSA CEO is making the trip, saying, “I don’t know why she’s coming here, to be honest.”
For the senior, Erika’s topics are “too extremist for a school,” and he thinks there are “better representatives” with less controversial viewpoints who should have been invited instead.
A different student, high school senior Kasandra Acosta, also echoed the narrative, while expressing her shock at the proposed appearance of Erika.
“It’s a little crazy because I would never have expected someone like her to show up at a high school,” the student said, per the Daily Beast. “I’m pretty shocked. Honestly, I’m surprised it’s even happening.”
Parents Also Spoke Out Against Erika Kirk’s Proposed Visit
Students were not the only ones to speak out against Erika’s upcoming visit to the school.
Parents also raised concerns about the visit, especially after the mother of two previously cited security concerns as the reason she skipped an earlier event at the University of Georgia.
According to one parent, Erika’s appearance could lead to “division” within the school, particularly at a time when the country appears to be increasingly divided over political viewpoints.
“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,” said Bobbe Noland, a parent of a Pinnacle student, per the Republic.
Erika Kirk’s Visit Will Spark Increased Security In The School
The upcoming appearance is being arranged by the school’s Club America chapter, a known affiliate of TPUSA. They are expected to take responsibility for the security of the event, as it is a private visit by the mompreneur.
School officials have already kept parents informed about what to expect, particularly the increased security measures planned for the event. Meanwhile, the police have indicated they will also be involved in some manner to ensure safety is non-negotiable on that day.
“We regularly work with community partners to support public safety during gatherings,” a spokesperson for the local police shared.
“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,” they added.
The Widow’s Absence At The Georgia Event Was Slammed By Critics, Including Her Late Husband’s Pal
After her earlier absence from the Georgia event, Erika Kirk faced criticism from online users, including conservative commentator Candace Owens.
Owens claimed that the mother of two was not truthful about the reason for her absence, referencing Erika’s stated explanation in a tweet.
“Stop. This is exhausting. You pulled out because of bad ticket sales. For the same reason, TPFaith had to ‘reschedule’ the Pastor’s Summit and various other events quietly,” Owens said on X.
Owens then seemed to make things personal as she claimed that people no longer “believe” Erika and, for that reason, “don’t line up for you because you struggle to tell the truth about even the most basic facts.”
Both Erika and Owens have been at loggerheads for a few months now, particularly due to the YouTuber’s claims about Charlie’s assassination.
In a major escalation to their ongoing feud, Erika sent Owens and several other right-wing critics of hers a cease-and-desist letter, demanding that defamatory posts about her and TPUSA be taken down as she does not “desire litigation.”
The Secret Service Stated That There Were No ‘Credible Threats’ In The Area Before Erika Kirk Pulled Out Of The Event
In Owens’ post, she also claimed that Erika’s security concerns were unfounded, as VP JD Vance had no issues being at the event.
“The Secret Service sits above your security team. Were there actually a viable threat, the Vice President would not have continued the event. Your closest threat is the shit Public Relations team you hired that continues to operate under the delusion that they are smarter than the public,” Owens added.
The YouTuber’s claim was seemingly later supported by a secret service source who stated that the venue for the speaking event was “secure.”
The source, speaking to CBS News, noted there were no “specific or credible threats tied to the venue or to Vance.”