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Residents object to RTC-linked effort to recruit Turning Point USA chapter at New Milford High School
Summary
Multiple public commenters said social-media posts show the Republican Town Committee is recruiting New Milford students for a Turning Point USA chapter, which they say conflicts with school rules requiring student-initiated clubs and could introduce divisive national rhetoric to local schools.
Several New Milford residents used the town council public-comment period to object to social-media posts that they said show the Republican Town Committee soliciting high-school students to start a Turning Point USA chapter.
Irene Srubailo opened the public comments asserting the RTC "is in the process of setting up a high school Turning Point chapter in New Milford" and said the initiative "isn't born of the students. They're being recruited by your RTC." She described Turning Point USA as a national conservative organization she characterized as promoting divisive rhetoric.
Carolyn Hyde read a social-media post and told the council Turning Point chapters "are highly encouraged to be associated with schools" but that New Milford High School rules require activity groups to be student-initiated and to have a school employee as an advisor. Hyde said the social post named a contact (Scott Leddy) who she believes is not a Board of Education employee and raised concern that adults are recruiting teenagers rather than a club forming organically.
Brian Whitfield, speaking later in the public-comment period, framed his remarks as a defense of free speech and said he opposed censoring political perspectives at meetings, but he did not address the school-policy specifics.
Council members did not take formal action on the Turning Point recruitment at the meeting. Several residents asked the town Republican leadership to clarify whether the outreach was coordinated with the school and to respect school guidelines that call for student-initiated clubs with a staff advisor.
