An appearance by Erika Kirk—the CEO and board chair of the conservative organization Turning Point USA—at Fayetteville Christian School in late October is raising concerns from some parents about security and the school’s priorities.
Kirk is scheduled to address junior high and high school students about civic engagement at the private Christian school on October 28, according to an announcement from the school provided to CityView. She assumed leadership of the organization days after the September 2025 assassination of her husband Charlie Kirk.
He co-founded Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in 2012, growing it to become a powerful force in right-wing politics that helped young adults become politically active. He was an outspoken critic of feminism, LGBTQ+ equality, diversity initiatives, college campus progressivism, climate change, and abortion rights.
In an announcement to families, Tammi Peters, Fayetteville Christian’s co-founder and Head of School, described Erika Kirk’s visit as an honor.
“This is quite an honor for FCS since she only speaks at a few schools each year,” Peters wrote.
But some parents questioned the school’s priorities.
“I chose a private Christian education because I expect an environment that prioritizes my child’s academic development, spiritual growth, and, above all, physical safety,” a parent wrote in an email to CityView.
Parents interviewed by CityView question how the appearance fits into chapel instruction, what additional security will involve, and why families were not consulted before the visit was announced.
Peters has since told families attendance is optional and that parents are on a waiting list to attend. Neither she nor TPUSA responded to CityView’s emailed questions about Kirk’s visit.
CityView is withholding the parents’ names over concerns about repercussions against them or their children. Three parents said families sign what they described as nondisclosure agreements. CityView has not reviewed those documents or independently established their terms.
Eleven days after Charlie Kirk was killed on a college campus in Utah, more than 400 people took part in a prayer walk in Fayetteville.
‘Parents Deserve a Clear Explanation’
On October 12, a parent emailed CityView asking it to examine the planned visit and the school’s preparations.
“I am extremely disappointed in this decision, but more importantly, I am deeply concerned about the potential safety risks this visit could introduce to our children,” she wrote.
Her concerns extended beyond whether she agreed with Kirk, whose public comments are less overtly political than those of her late husband.
“Erika Kirk is a nationally recognized and politically polarizing public figure,” the parent wrote. “Regardless of one’s political affiliation, inviting someone associated with such significant public controversy onto a campus filled with children raises serious questions about the school’s judgment and priorities.”
The parent questioned whether school leaders conducted a security assessment, consulted law enforcement, or gave families a meaningful opportunity to weigh in. She also wanted to know whether students could opt out without consequences.
“What concerns me most is that the school has already acknowledged the need for additional security measures and has stated that the event will not be publicly advertised,” she wrote. “If this visit requires heightened security, I believe parents deserve a clear explanation of the potential risks, the precautions being taken, and why school leadership believes hosting this event is necessary.”
In her announcement, Peters said the event was open only to school parents and families due to limited space.
“We are not advertising this event to the public, but extra security will be in place,” Peters wrote.
The parent said the announcement did not explain what the additional security would involve.
“This is not simply about agreeing or disagreeing with someone’s political views,” she wrote. “This is about whether school leadership is exercising appropriate judgment when making decisions that could affect the safety of hundreds of students.”
‘There Was No Discussion With the Parents’
In an interview, the parent said her family chose FCS after researching local schools and seeking an environment that combined academics with Christian instruction.
“We wanted our kids to have a Christian experience, but still wanted them to learn,” she said.
She said she understood the Kirk visit would take place during chapel, which she described as part of students’ Bible instruction. She questioned the decision to arrange the appearance without first seeking families’ input.
“There was no discussion with the parents about potentially having her come as a speaker,” she said.
The parent said she does not object to guest speakers, but worries the program will introduce a political perspective without room for other views.
“These are children,” she said. “Children that are under 18, and I just don’t think it’s appropriate.”
Another parent, who also chose the school for its Christian values and smaller setting, raised similar concerns.
“My biggest concern is them trying to force politics on the kids,” that parent said.
Both parents said they feared that challenging school leadership could affect their children’s enrollment. The parent who initially contacted CityView said that concern kept her from approaching school leaders about this event.
‘Attendance Is Entirely Optional’
On October 15, CityView emailed Peters and TPUSA requesting comment.
The questions addressed how the visit was arranged, what Kirk would discuss, the intended educational or spiritual benefit, security preparations, and parents’ concerns. CityView also asked whether students could opt out and whether an alternative activity would be available.
Peters did not respond to that request. The following day, October 16, she emailed families explaining that participation was optional.
“We are excited to offer our students and parents the opportunity to attend our program with Erika Kirk,” Peters wrote in an email shared with CityView. “Attendance is entirely optional, and we understand that not every student will attend.”
Peters said the school had a waiting list of parents who wanted to attend. She asked families whose children would not participate to notify the school so those seats could be offered to other parents.
Teachers would not take attendance until after the program concluded at approximately 10:30 a.m., Peters wrote, so students who missed the program would not be marked absent during that time.
The message did not address the program’s topics or describe security arrangements.
CityView also called the school October 16 and was transferred to Peters’ office. The call went directly to voicemail.
During a follow-up call October 19, Office Manager Stephanie Weldy hung up after a reporter sought to connect with Peters. “We are not interested in any media requests at the time,” she said.
‘The Tipping Point’
For the parent who initially contacted CityView, the option to miss the presentation does not resolve her concerns about the school’s direction.
She said her children would stay home the day of Kirk’s visit. She also plans to withdraw one child next semester while keeping another enrolled to avoid disrupting established friendships and school commitments.
“As parents, we just don’t feel like our values align and that we’re on the same page,” she said.
Over time, she said, she became uncomfortable with what she viewed as the school’s political leanings. She described herself and her husband as Democrats and said differing political beliefs were not, by themselves, the problem.
“They’re Republicans, and that’s fine. We’re Democrats. It’s no problem,” she said. “But when we’re putting that on children, that’s just something that we don’t like.”
The invitation added to concerns that had been building before the announcement.
“This Erika Kirk situation, that is the tipping point for me,” she said.
Withdrawing a child, she said, is one way her family can act on those concerns.
“I feel like when you stop putting money into things that don’t align with what you want to align with, then that’s when change can be made,” she said.
Even discussing those concerns with a reporter required a conversation with her husband about the possible consequences for their children.
“I went back and forth on this with my husband, and we just decided to go ahead and do it,” she said.
For now, the family plans to sit out the program. But she wants school leaders to consider more than which families will fill the available seats.
“I just wish that they would consider how some other people would feel,” she said.
