VIDEO TRANSCRIPT:
Leah Cohn: A Turning Point USA affiliated club has begun popping up in various Central New York schools. NCC News reporter Dylan Nairin has more.
Dylan Nairin: Thanks Leah. Club America is a student led organization with chapters forming in different schools throughout the area. Some of the schools included are Baldwinsville, Cicero-North Syracuse, Central Square and Fulton. Thre are also ongoing efforts to establish the club in West Genesee High School in the near furture as well. Club USA has become a controversial topic in recent board meetings like the one held last night in Baldwinsville.
Nairin: Emotions and public interest were extremely high once again at the Baldwinsville Board of Education meeting last night. A spirited debate was held regarding the future of Club America at CW Baker High School in Baldwinsville. Many students were given the opportunity to share their thoughts on the matter. Jerry Digger is the president of Club America at Baker and he shared his reasoning for supporting the club and what they stand for.
Jerry Digger: We strive to inform students about their constitutional rights and national global issues shaping our generation while empowering young and future voters to think critically and make informed, independent decisions.
Nairin: Digger also pointed out that members of Club America have been called racist and fascist on social media by their fellow students. He says that his entire goal with the club is to bring the school community together and create meaningful growth in the way people think.
Nairin: Victoria Asaskel is a member of Club America at Baker who feels like she has been pressured into thinking a certain way by the school.
Victoria Asaskel: Two weeks into the school year, I learned that my conservative views were not accepted with the same attitude that other opinions were. I noticed an angle that historical events were looked at with. I saw how class discussions pushed a particular viewpoint on the world.
Nairin: However, other students are tired of this controversy and believe the club is creating more harm than good. Liam McCommer is an advocate for a healthy school atmosphere and maintaining student safety.
Liam McCommer: Over the course of this past school year, I’ve personally witnessed the degradation of the sanctity of our school as political divisiveness has diffused all levels of students psyches and crossed into what I would consider to be an extreme distraction of the learning environment.
Nairin: The district has previously pointed out and maintained that Club America is an approved student organization on campus. This controversial topic is not going away anytime soon though. Back to you guys at the desk.
BALDWINSVILLE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The Baldwinsville School District Board of Education held a meeting Monday night. For the second time in three weeks, the board room was completely filled with parents, students and school administrators. The hot topic in this meeting was the student organization, Club America, in CW Baker High School in the city.
Club America is a student run organization that is affiliated with the conservative political group, Turning Point USA. These organizations can be found in various high schools in Central New York, including CW Baker High School in Baldwinsville. Jerry Digger is the president of the club at the school. He responded to the criticism from the community by talking at the meeting about the purpose of the organization and what they truly stand for.
“We strive to inform students about their constitutional rights and national global issues shaping our generation, while empowering young and future voters to think critically and make informed, independent decisions,” said Digger.
Digger wants to help shape everyone’s mind by taking in different perspectives, which he believes will help everyone grow as thinkers while becoming more understanding of other people. In advocating for the club, Digger and other members of the club said that they feel as if their voices are being pushed aside, and their views are not accepted because of the way the school thinks. This was the case for Victoria Asaskel within two weeks of enrolling at the school.
“I noticed the angle that historical events were looked at with. I saw how class discussions pushed a particular viewpoint on the world,” said Asaskel.
On the other hand, some students at the school, like Liam McCommer, believe this club has no reason for being there. He believes that it is creating more problems amongst the student body than anything.
“Over the course of this past school year, I personally witnessed the degradation of the sanctity of our school as political divisiveness is diffused to all levels of students’ psyches and crossed into what I would consider to be an extreme distraction to the learning environment,” said McCommer.
The district has maintained their previous statement that this club is an approved student organization, so the club will be allowed to continue meeting for now. This topic is not going to go away soon, as these organizations are beginning to be established in more schools in the area. The next public Board of Education meeting will be taking place on on April 6.