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By Nick McLaren
The heavy Vermont snowfall didn’t stop a sizable turnout at Barre, Vermont’s Turning Point USA Activism Hub’s first public event, organized and led by Spaulding High School student and Barre native Seth Fewer.
With help from the hub’s co-founder, fellow Spaulding student and player in Spaulding Crimson Tide’s 2023 title win of the middle school Northern Vermont Youth Football League Javion Kastner, and Club America field representative Renee McEvilly, the inaugural “club” meeting drew a varied speaking list. Among them several student organizers (including fellow TPUSA chapter leader Jonathan Martin, who drove with his three hours from upstate NY to support Fewer, his friend) and prominent attendees from throughout Vermont.
Speakers for the Friday night event at Barre’s Canadian Club included Barre school board chair, city council member, and Rep. Michael Boutin, citizen journalist Hank “Planet Hank” Poitras of Brattleboro, and a pre-recorded video from VT GOP chair Paul Dame, who was unable to attend in person.
In his message, Dame stressed the importance for young people entering community government and politics to be humble, courageous, listen well, and to adopt an attitude of service.
Dame highlighted that young people tend to think they’re entering the beginning of the story, and that one should rather “walk into the room asking, ‘What can I learn here?’.” He said that good questions demonstrate curiosity and seriousness in young people. He also commended Fewer and Kastner for their courage in standing up despite pressure to conform in a state where “the Left doesn’t want competition, they want a monopoly they can control.”
Many common themes appeared among the speakers – being bold in the face of adversity, freedom of expression, standing for truth as late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk had, and the transformative power of Jesus Christ.
Before his speech, Boutin even joked that going in he had expected to have the most bible verses in his speech, but was pleasantly surprised that was by no means guaranteed. McEvilly, as well as her daughter Clara, spoke on the impact of their faith in Jesus Christ in their lives, and Renee on Christ as her source of strength in her work.
Responding to media uproar4 from TPUSA’s presence in Vermont, Renee McEvilly pushed back on the accusation that their impact was putting politics over community: “This is not political activism, this is student development.”
Renee added that the goal of Club America is to educate students on not what to think, but how to think,” and to give them confidence to stand for the truth.
Overall, attendees expressed their support and appreciation for the young Fewer and Kastner. For most in attendance, the attitude was that of encouragement and optimism for both the future of free expression and the grassroots support of conservative ideas and activism in the state.
The question on everyone’s mind: what happens next? Currently unable to procure a sponsorship necessary from any of their teachers at Spaulding High School to create an official Club America chapter, Fewer and Kastner will continue to operate the “club” as an TPUSA Activism Hub, and plan to hold future club meetings of a smaller scale.
They expect more pushback from what has turned into a statewide news story but seemed encouraged by the turnout and support from their community Friday night. With more events planned in the spring, it remains to be seen not whether TPUSA will have a presence in the state of Vermont, only of how much.
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Categories: VT Headlines
Hey , high school students that aren’t afraid to speak outside of the sanctioned indoctrination code ! I’m sure that the teachers, the VNEA, and local school boards are a little uncomfortable with these students finding their individual voices. It kinda puts a crack in their plans. These kids have more balls than most parents. Hopefully this movement has legs.
I wish there was a Love This button! So proud of them!
I write with high accolades and applause for Seth and Javion. I hope they will spawn other youth emblazoned to stand up and question the doctrinal voices that have been unleashed in Vermont’s schools. All students should be taught to have questioning minds that know how to verify truth and let it’s firm foundation stand. Start a TP USA Chapter – College – High School – Events – Activism Kits can be found at this link – https://www.tpusastudents.com/activismkits Brattleboro, Burlington, Rutland, St. Johnsbury, Bennington, and St. Albans – do you have any students that would activate a club? Team with Seth and Javion and bring back the Kirk’s to Vermont – Ericka Kirk.
I very much question what legal recourse these students have to sue the school for not allowing this club. On what grounds are they being told “no”?
I mean, there are *Satan* clubs all over this country- surely, this would meet the threshold to take it to court and challenge the teachers who won’t sponsee/support these two teens.
It’s been reported that clubs at their high school first need to be sponsored by an adult staff member. Since no teacher has volunteered to help run the group they cannot be an “official” club.
I know of some middle schoolers that ran into a similar problem when they wanted to start an after school Roblox club. No teacher wanted to sponsor and supervise their gaming activities so they’ve been unable to get that group off the ground.
Why would a teacher say no to that group? Should they consider going to court as well?
Nothing says free speech more than suing public school teachers to force them to moderate a club they rightfully feel obligated not to participate in.
I last taught there in 1972. Then I went in the Army. I would have been proud to have sponsored their chapter. I can’t believe that teachers in Barre, and in Vermont for that matter, have become so obedient to their union. Vermont is no longer the place I grew up.
There is no Charles Gallagher in the ‘71 or ‘72 Spaulding yearbook. Isn’t that when you’re saying you taught there?
After working in VT for many years as an educator, teachers are not allowed to speak about God. I had a few scriptures written on my personal bulletin board one time and the principal very rudely made me take it down and the superintendent also spoke his mind to me as well. Said she was going to seek legal council if I didn’t. Meanwhile, outside my class window, flew a Black Lives Matter Flag as well as a Pride flag. I took those two scriptures down. I am not truly sure if or what type of legal actions they could have taken but that school year was a nightmare. I had never read either one of the scriptures to the kids and kids would not have known it was scripture unless they read the Bible, as the books noted were abbreviated with letters and the ch and vs numbers. It was there for my own personal support. VT says freedom of speech but only on approved topics.
I lived in TN for one school year right after that and it was refreshing to see a Bible on almost every teachers desk. Daily scripture calendars as well. Student lockers decorated with scripture and prayer spoken over a loud speaker before a football game. Students never questioned a teacher when redirected but instead said, yes ma’am. Teachers were supported and students were disciplined. Parents were inconvenienced if necessary . It was a completely different educational environment.
I left teaching VT and don’t plan to go back. As a teacher in VT, not only is your career constantly on the line but also your reputation can be damaged very easily without having done anything wrong. I have seen it happen too many times to good people. It’s not worth the risk. You either conform to the expectations and never speak up or risk everything. So no, I highly doubt any educator in VT would be willing to put themselves in that situation. There may be some who would love to though. I applaud these students for attempting to make a positive change. Hopefully they can find outside funding separate from the school system. Vermont is not very tolerant when it comes to biblical principals.
David Davis, You did not look very well. I Googled him, and found this on Face Book.
Charles “Chuck” Gallagher
Former U.S. SF at U.S. Army
1972 – 1992
College
No schools to show
High school
Went to Spaulding High School
Class of 1964
Thank you for your service Chuck . Any relation to George ? May he RIP .
Patrick,
I wasn’t referring to Chuck’s time at Spaulding as a student, but as a teacher.
I think my comment was rather clear in that regard. And yet you accuse others of not looking very well.
He claimed to have “last taught there in 1972.” I found no mention of him as a teacher in the ‘72 yearbook, or any previous yearbook for that matter. I’m hoping Chuck can provide some clarity to that claim.
Patrick, not sure if you mean my cousin George who died in Vietnam or my brother George who died a few years after he retired from the Army. My teaching time in Barre was 70-72 and was teaching science and math at Spaulding Graded School. I taught math and physics at the St Johnsbury Trade School before that.
Chuck, That would have been your cousin George. I grew up in the North End on Berlin St. a couple of streets down from George on Rail Road St. I am a few years younger than George, but I can remember that it hit the whole neighborhood hard.
As a retired Vt teacher of 30 years I would step forward to support these students. I never supported the Vermont Teachers Union or the NEA in my 30 years of teaching.