Organizational Positions & Statements
Braun’s Partnership with Turning Point USA
March 12, 2026, Indiana Governor Mike Braun announced a formal state partnership with Turning Point USA, calling on every Indiana school and university to “facilitate student organizations — such as Turning Point USA — that foster the values of liberty and freedom of speech.”
Students already have the right to organize. That right is protected by the First Amendment and longstanding federal law. No proclamation is required for students to form political or ideological organizations on campus.
What raises particular concern is something Josh Thifault, Turning Point USA’s Senior Director, told the assembled audience:
“We are at a unique moment where most young Americans want to live in a Christian nation again. They want to live in a nation where our laws are based on the Word of God.”
He made that statement at the Indiana Governor’s Residence with our assumed support of Indiana’s governor during an event connected to a Turning Point USA state partnership announcement.
Statements advocating a nation governed by a particular religious framework raise serious constitutional questions when they are made at events hosted by state officials. The First Amendment protects religious liberty precisely by ensuring that government does not favor one faith tradition over others.
Indiana’s own Constitution reflects this same principle. Article 1, Section 4 states plainly:
“No preference shall be given, by law, to any creed, religious society, or mode of worship.”
Protecting free speech on campus should never mean government endorsing one religious vision for the country.
Indiana’s public schools belong to all Hoosier students — Christian and Jewish, Muslim and Hindu, atheist and agnostic, and every tradition in between. The role of government is to protect that diversity of belief, not elevate one vision of religious governance.
Governor Braun urged school board candidates to “get it done.” Statements like this inevitably place pressure on local school leaders and educators who are responsible for serving every student in their communities.
DSSIN stands with every student in Indiana regardless of their faith or lack of it. We stand with the educators and school board members who will be asked to navigate these pressures. We will continue to monitor how this partnership develops and whether Indiana’s school communities are able to serve all students without government pressure favoring one organization’s religious vision.
Indiana’s public schools should remain places where every student — from every background and belief — can learn, participate, and belong.
We invite you to stand with us and our commitment to public schools that serve every student regardless of faith or background.
The Time to Pay Attention is Now
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Contact your local school board members and ask them directly where they stand
If you are a voter in New Albany Floyd County Schools, four board seats are on the ballot this November 2026 — the candidates who earn those seats will be making decisions that affect every child in this community.
Share your thoughts and concerns with the governor’s office: Governor Braun: Contact Mike
Public Education, LifeWise & What You Can Do
Do Something Southern Indiana stands firmly in support of public education that serves ALL students equally, regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof. We believe the separation of church and state is not a restriction on religious freedom — it is the protection of religious freedom for all.
Public schools work best when they remain secular institutions that welcome every child, honor every family's beliefs, and unite our community through excellent education. We stand for public education that serves ALL students.
We oppose LifeWise Academy's implementation in our public schools and call for the protection of instructional time from religious disruption during the school day. We stand against programs that disrupt learning, divide children, and compromise the inclusive nature of our public schools.
Religious Instruction Introduced During Instruction Hours In New Albany-Floyd County Schools
This is a critical moment for our community. We need Do Something members to show up, speak out, and make sure every parent, teacher, and neighbor knows what’s at stake.
How You Can Help:
Run for school board positions
Attending school board meetings
Sharing information with friends and family
Writing letters to the editor
Amplifying our message on social media
Together, we can keep our schools welcoming, inclusive, and focused on education—not religious division.
Do Something Southern Indiana (DSSIN) is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to protecting democratic institutions and civil liberties in our region.