Michigan High School Students Say They’ve Received Threats After Starting Turning Point USA Chapter

A student group at a Michigan high school becomes the center of heated debate after forming a new club.

ROYAL OAK, Mich. — A newly formed Turning Point USA chapter at Royal Oak High School is facing backlash and even threats, according to student member Braxtyn and her mother, Brandy, who spoke in an exclusive interview.

The club, which was founded about two weeks ago by one of Braxtyn’s friends, was meant to give students a space for open dialogue and political education. “It was more about educating myself within every side,” Braxtyn said. “I saw some interesting comments online, but I didn’t expect there to be a problem.”

The trouble began almost immediately after the club’s existence was posted online. “There was actually an issue minutes after it was posted,” Braxtyn said. “We got a lot of threats along the way. Me and the creator of the club were admitted to a group chat where another student said the creator ‘was going to get burned.’”

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Her mother, Brandy, said she saw the negativity firsthand after encouraging her daughter to get involved. “She showed me the post and I thought, ‘Oh, cool.’ Then I read the comments and said, ‘Oh boy,’” Brandy recalled. “I even commented that it sounded like a great addition since there’s already a Democratic club, and that’s when things got weird.”

According to Braxtyn, the harassment went beyond words. “I was shoulder-bumped a couple times in class,” she said. “Then during a protest at school, I was tagged in a post that called me names. I hadn’t even said who I supported—I just wanted to learn.”

Brandy said she contacted school officials but felt the situation wasn’t taken seriously. “I told the vice principal this needs to be handled correctly,” she said. “I could tell she didn’t take my word seriously. She told me, ‘It’s social media, we can’t find out who’s behind certain things.’ But some of these were death threats.”

Despite the hostility, both mother and daughter say they support free expression for all students. “We’re welcoming to anyone,” Braxtyn said. “Whether they’re gay, trans, Democrat, Republican—whatever their beliefs are—we’re there to listen. We’re even expecting protests at our first meeting, and we plan to invite the principal and superintendent to ensure it stays peaceful.”

Brandy hopes the experience encourages a broader lesson. “We need to learn to communicate,” she said. “It’s okay to have different opinions. That’s what makes us human. But people don’t deserve to be threatened or attacked for thinking differently.”

For now, Braxtyn said she and her fellow members will continue with their plans to hold their first official meeting on November 10. “We just want to find common ground,” she said. “People will always have different beliefs and values, but we need to keep talking. When there’s no talking, that’s when problems start.”