Residents accuse Republican committee of recruiting New Milford students for Turning Point USA chapter

Residents accused local Republican organizers of recruiting students to start a Turning Point USA student chapter and urged the council to respect the Board of Education’s rules for student groups.

At the meeting’s public-comment period, Irene Skrybailo said the Republican Town Committee is "trying to start a Turning Point chapter in town" and described Turning Point as "a right wing non profit founded by a racist, homo phobe who said gun deaths are acceptable in order to have the 2nd amendment." She said the recruitment effort runs counter to what New Milford should support.

Parent Caroline Hyde (submitted an extended written comment read into the record and included in the minutes) said social-media posts show the Republican Town Committee soliciting New Milford High School students to join a Turning Point USA chapter and named a contact, Scott Leddy. Hyde said school guidelines require activity groups to be student initiated and to have a school-employed advisor; she wrote that the advertised posts appear to be adult-led recruitment rather than a student-initiated club. Hyde also said the posts were liked by local officials, naming Town Council member Tom Esposito and Board of Education Chairperson Leslie Sarich.

Speakers pointed to prior controversies in other districts where Turning Point USA activities and speakers drew pushback and, in some cases, cancellations. No representative of the Republican Town Committee or the school district responded during the meeting, and council minutes record the allegations as public comment without recorded rebuttal.

The minutes do not show any formal council action or direction to staff on the matter. The Board of Education’s formal role and any required review of club formation were cited by commenters but no Board response was included in the meeting record.