Protesters oppose Chino Hills school assemblies, alleging they are political

U.S. history assemblies involving conservative groups such as Turning Point USA at a Chino Hills middle school are drawing controversy.

About 25 protesters gathered outside Canyon Hills Junior High, part of the Chino Valley Unified School District, on Friday morning, May 8, to say the event is political and not appropriate for students.

Demonstrators, which included parents, opposed school rallies scheduled for Friday afternoon. The district is the only school in California chosen for the assemblies, which are titled the “History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour.” They are presented ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary in part by the U.S. Department of Education and other organizations, at which protesters are taking aim.

Activists at the school Friday raised questions about the organizers behind the rallies — which include Turning Point USA, the conservative youth organization co-founded by Charlie Kirk, a President Donald Trump ally who was killed in September. The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is also an organizer. The events were allowed on campus, protesters allege, because of the conservative Chino Valley school board that oversees the school district.

Chino Valley school board President Sonja Shaw said by phone Friday that “something’s gone wrong in this country when celebrating America’s 250th birthday becomes controversial.”

“‘History Rocks’ is a national educational program connected to the U.S. Department of Education focused on our founding documents and the American Revolution,” Shaw said. “It is an honor for our district to be the one stop in California selected to allow students to participate in such a meaningful celebration.”

In an email to parents, the school district describes “History Rocks!” as “interactive, meaningful and fun.”

Lauren Dans, a former Canyon Hills student and teacher, posted a TikTok video criticizing the event. She said Canyon Hills was “the one school chosen” in California for the tour and that teachers were not told about it until Monday, May 4.

Parents are upset, “saying their students are staying home, and students still don’t know about it, but those that do are saying they don’t want to attend,” Dans said in the video. “Parents are contacting Canyon Hills school administrators about it.”

Our Schools USA and its Inland Valley chapter has criticized the event in online posts.

“Every student at Canyon Hills will attend a (Dept. of Ed.) America 250 Civics Education Coalition assembly during the school day, including class tours of three U.S. History classes,” a Thursday Instagram post from Our Schools Inland Valley said. It raised concerns that students might be photographed and the images shared online, citing recent History Rocks! tour promotions. It said Chino Valley parents “were supposed to have a say.”

“Eight months ago, the board adopted administrative regulation 6144 — recognizing that parents, not the district, should decide when content their child encounters conflicts with their family’s beliefs. Parents got the right to advance notice. Parents got the right to opt out. For Friday’s assembly, the district has decided this event isn’t controversial enough to require either. Parents weren’t told … the district decided for you.”

The protesters also criticized Shaw, who is running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in the June election, and alleged she is behind the event. Public schools and lesson time should not be used to advance a candidate’s campaign, they said.

Shaw said the assembly includes a “fun game show.” The U.S. Department of Education contacted Chino Valley’s superintendent about hosting the assemblies, Shaw said, adding that she had nothing to do with bringing it to the district.

Shaw criticized the “small, disgruntled group” of activists for “attacking the event before it even happened,” including a teacher who used classroom time to “mislead students,” “discourage them from attending an educational event and fearmonger about their future.”

That teacher, Shaw said, “even suggested that attending the event could hurt their chances of getting into college.”

“That is inappropriate, unprofessional, and robbed students of the opportunity to think for themselves. To put it plainly, it is educational malpractice,” she added. “Teachers should present facts, not push personal political agendas. Students deserve the opportunity to experience educational programs and think for themselves. This district will not be intimidated by coordinated misinformation campaigns.”