Protest Against Turning Point USA’s Educators’ Summit in Lincolnshire

On Tuesday evening, protesters gathered at an intersection in Lincolnshire to express their opposition to a conservative Christian educators’ summit. The event was organized by the right-wing group Turning Point USA and held at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.

Two local chapters of Indivisible, a progressive activist group, coordinated the protest. These chapters, Indivisible Western Lake County and Indivisible Northeast Lake County, gathered around 60 to 70 attendees. Katie Sayler from Indivisible NE Lake County explained that the protest aimed to challenge authoritarianism and preserve community values. “We want to communicate that they are not welcomed here,” she stated.

Sayler highlighted that their focus was not on partisanship but on countering extremist perspectives, particularly the push towards “white Christian nationalism.” She voiced concerns about the potential impacts of the messaging by Turning Point USA.

This marks the second instance of the Turning Point Education summit being held in Lake County, with the previous event taking place in Deerfield in 2023. TPUSA officials had not provided any comments by Wednesday.

According to Sayler, the group’s agenda involves infiltrating educational systems to undermine constitutional and women’s rights. Turning Point Education’s website openly shares its Christian and conservative objectives. It promotes a return to education that emphasizes truth, beauty, and a foundation of divinely inspired education.

The summit featured nearly 30 speakers, including TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk, along with various conservative activists and Christian educators.

The protest involved participants chanting, holding signs, and beating drums. Some chants criticized both President Donald Trump and TPUSA. Among the protesters was Julia Plescia from Grayslake, inspired by current political dynamics to participate in activism. As a former school nurse and school board member, she felt strongly against religious indoctrination in schools.

Responses from passing vehicles varied, with some drivers honking in support and others expressing disapproval. Over the past two decades, Lake County has seen a political shift towards Democratic preferences, with more recent voter turnouts favoring Democratic candidates.

Local political engagement circles around issues such as the controversy over changing room policies for transgender students in public schools. These discussions have involved more support for inclusivity than the sometimes opposing views represented by organizations like Moms for Liberty.

Some protesters speculated about TPUSA’s efforts to gain a foothold in Lake County. Notably, Joe Salvi, a young Republican candidate for the Lake County Board, seeks to invigorate Republican presence and has worked with local youth organizations like “Club America,” linked to Turning Point. “Club America” has reportedly established chapters within several local high schools.

Political dynamics in Lake County are evolving, with new leadership on both sides. State Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, and Dawn Abernathy of Mundelein now lead their respective parties.