PARKLAND, Fla. (AP/WSVN) — A controversial gun rights advocate will not be allowed to speak on the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School campus where a gunman with an assault rifle killed 17 students and teachers.
Broward Schools spokeswoman Cathleen Brennan announced late Thursday that “non-school sponsored, student-initiated guest speaker assemblies/meetings are not permitted to take place on campus.”
Charlie Kirk had tweeted that he had accepted an invitation from students to speak on the campus in Parkland, Florida. Kirk founded Turning Point, USA, a group that maintains a watch list of professors it accuses of promoting leftist propaganda. His appearances have previously sparked protests on college campuses.
The Sun-Sentinel reports that Kirk was invited by conservative students Kyle Kashuv, who has met with President Trump, and Patrick Petty, whose sister Alaina was killed in the shooting.
I have been invited by students at Parkland high school to come as a guest speaker in the coming 2 weeks. I excitedly accept and look forward to discussing our right to bear arms in front of a captive student audience
This is of course unless I get blocked by the administration https://t.co/MUxaUefhxm
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 12, 2018
After the school board’s decision was announced, Kashuv took to Twitter, writing, “Apparently, unless you’re @DwyaneWade to promote gun control, you’re not allowed in MSD.”
However, a pro-gun control group called the Coalition to Stop School Violence said they were also not allowed to make an on-campus appearance.
“We understood completely and were happy to meet people off campus,” group spokesperson Andrew Patrick told the Sun-Sentinel. “They want to make it sound like Kirk is being discriminated against for his views. That’s not the case. They are following and new but consistent security protocol.”
Kashuv says the event with Kirk will now be held off campus.
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