TPUSA school clash spirals into threats and outrage as mother denies touching, screaming at Indiana teen
WESTFIELD, Ind. — A 17-year-old TPUSA chapter president in Indiana says a mother screamed at student volunteers and knocked a bracelet from her hand during an annual back-to-school bash. Now, the mother in question is denying key elements of the story.
The Aug. 10 incident has grown into a bitter public clash involving a conservative student activist, a local mother, school officials, police reports, allegations of online harassment and support from some of the country’s most prominent conservative personalities.
Sophia Hunt, president of Turning Point USA’s Club America chapter at Westfield High School, said the confrontation happened during Rock the Block, an event hosted by Westfield Washington Schools and the Westfield Education Foundation at the local middle school.
Hunt told Fox News Digital that she and other members of the student group were operating a booth at Rock the Block and were using the event to explain their organization’s work and its effort to bring what she described as "God, family and country" into schools.
"We got to tell them about what Turning Point is doing not only in our schools, but nationally as well, and the support that they bring us," Hunt said. "We want to help students have the opportunity to be able to openly speak about their beliefs."
The students were also handing out red, white and blue bracelets.
The design, which Hunt displayed during a Wednesday installment of "The Charlie Kirk Show," consists of a blue streak and white stars against a red backdrop. It does not contain a candidate’s name, campaign slogan or other explicit political message.
"They were just ordered in bulk from Amazon. I had purchased them, and they were sponsored by my dad," she said.
According to Hunt, a boy who appeared to be about 7 or 8 years old approached the table and said he wanted one.
"He tried to take one, and I saw a mother come over and drag him away," Hunt said.
The mother has been identified as Kailly Stanich, whose version of the encounter differs significantly from Hunt’s.
Hunt said she initially tried to defuse what she perceived as an unexpectedly tense situation. As Stanich began walking away with her son, Hunt said she calmly asked, "Hey, are you OK?"
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"She then goes, ‘Why the f--- are you asking me if I’m OK?’" Hunt alleged.
Hunt said she attempted to hand Stanich one of the bracelets, but Stanich knocked it from her hand.
"She then flicks it out of my hand," Hunt said. "It was soft. I’m not hurt by any means. Honestly, it’s the easiest thing to move past. It’s not a big deal."
Hunt said she responded, "I hope you have a better day."
That comment, according to both women, became another flashpoint.
Hunt alleged that Stanich began cursing at the students and criticizing the people and political organization they supported.
"She starts cursing us out, saying, ‘You guys are supporting a racist piece of s---,’" Hunt said.
Hunt claimed Stanich called the students "vile, disgusting human beings" and said they supported other "vile and disgusting human beings" such as President Donald Trump and the late TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk.
"She proceeded to yell at us, curse us out in front of minors, little children probably between the ages of 6 and 10," Hunt said.
Hunt acknowledged that another student working at the booth also responded during the exchange. After Hunt told Stanich she was sorry that she felt that way, Hunt said the chapter’s secretary turned around and declared, "Actually, we’re not sorry at all."
Hunt nevertheless maintained that the students largely refused to engage further.
"We had not given her any other reaction after that," Hunt said. "We don’t want to give her the reaction that she was looking for. We just want to be kind, be nice, stay calm and let God do the rest."
Stanich has denied many of Hunt’s central allegations, including that her son reached for a bracelet, that she screamed in Hunt’s face or that she slapped or otherwise struck the teenager’s hand.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Stanich said, "I did not and would never put my hands on a child. Nor would I scream in her face. I have filed a police report, and they are getting the footage from the school. Once I have that, I would be happy to speak with you and have the facts. I am extremely disturbed by her lies. I went private because I am getting death threats from Charlie Kirk supporters. This is exactly why his 'club' does not belong in our schools."
In an Aug. 20 interview with Newsweek, Stanich said her son had been collecting candy and other giveaways from different booths when Hunt offered him a bracelet.
"I just grabbed his hand and I said no, and I said no very firm," Stanich recalled.
Stanich said Hunt then asked whether she was OK and told her to "have a better day." Stanich described Hunt’s delivery as "rude and bratty" and said other students working at the booth yelled at her as she walked away.
Stanich admitted that she cursed during the encounter and acknowledged that her language was inappropriate.
"I just was very upset that the booth was even there," she said.
Stanich said her son was familiar with TPUSA and had already developed a negative opinion of the organization and Trump.
"My son is very aware of the hatred and the things that Donald Trump has spewed, and he has been raised to believe that everyone should be accepted," Stanich told Newsweek. "He already said, ‘Mommy, I knew that they were not a good booth because of the pictures and stuff.’"
Stanich pointed to the presence of law enforcement, firefighters, parents and other organizations at the crowded event as evidence that Hunt’s version was implausible.
"If I would have slapped a child’s hand or screamed in her face, there were police officer booths there, there was the fire department booth there, there were tons of parents and families and other booths right next to her," Stanich said. "If that would have happened, I would have been apprehended immediately."
Hunt disputed Stanich’s description of where police officers and firefighters were located.
"There were no police near us," Hunt said. "There were no firefighters near us either. Their booth, I believe, was on the complete opposite side of the gym or the school from where our booth was located."
Hunt said two other students from her TPUSA chapter, the group’s faculty sponsor and parents standing nearby witnessed at least parts of the exchange.
"We had parents coming up to us asking how they could donate to our chapter and what was wrong with her," Hunt said.
Hunt also claimed Stanich later contradicted her denials in social media posts by acknowledging that she had "flipped the F out" and had been "seeing red."
"She admitted to it on her own social media pages," Hunt said. "It’s very contradicting that she admitted to it and is now claiming that she did not do these things."
Although Hunt has described the bracelet being knocked from her hand as unwanted physical contact, she emphasized during the interview that she was not injured and did not want to exaggerate what happened.
"She didn’t necessarily assault me," Hunt said. "I’m not trying to take it into the context, ‘Oh, I’m hurt.’ No. But she flicked the bracelet out of my hand. She did touch me. She touched my fingertips."
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In a statement to Fox News Digital, Westfield Washington Schools said it was "aware of concerns" related to the interaction and the "subsequent activity on social media."
The district, however, said no "safety incident" was reported during Rock the Block by "anyone involved or bystanders."
"WWS takes the safety and well-being of our students seriously," the school system said. "The district has reviewed the situation with appropriate school personnel and legal counsel, has communicated to the parties involved, and has taken appropriate steps within its authority."
"While we cannot discuss specific actions involving individuals or security measures, we remain committed to providing safe environments where students can feel secure when participating in school activities and community events," the statement continued.
Hunt said she called Westfield High School the day after the encounter and informed her principal and another administrator about the situation. She said officials listened to her account and expressed concern about maintaining student safety, but she did not know whether any specific action had been taken.
Hunt also said some parents contacted the district asking officials to review or revoke Stanich’s access to future school events.
Stanich, meanwhile, said she filed a police report after allegedly receiving death threats online. She told Newsweek that local police were attempting to obtain security footage of the altercation.
Hunt said she also filed a police report the day after the event but was told that officers could not take action.
The Westfield Police Department did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Videos describing Hunt’s account spread rapidly through conservative social media circles, transforming a brief local confrontation into a national political story.
Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet came to the defense of Hunt, telling Fox News Digital, "Sophia is exactly the kind of student that makes us all so proud of the work we're doing at TPUSA, and I know Charlie would be proud of her too. She's kind and gracious, but she's also courageous. She's a happy warrior who refuses to back down, even when an adult woman, who should know better, engages in an online bullying and smear campaign to get attention on TikTok at her expense. Sophia is handling all of this exactly the right way, and she has a very bright future ahead of her."
Erika Kirk, TPUSA’s CEO and board chair, also offered her support.
"The spiritual battle rages on, but our students don’t back down," Kirk wrote on X. "We will not be derailed. They cannot stop what my husband built. We’ve got your back @Sophialilyhunt. Onward."
Indiana Republican Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith told Hunt he was "proud" of her for "standing her ground with grace and truth after being attacked by a radicalized liberal at a recent school event."
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The flood of attention brought Hunt a wave of public support, but Stanich said it also resulted in threats against her life.
"You wanna harass and assault a teenager, but you think you can't be reached. You're wrong b----," one of the threats said.
Another profanity-laced message threatened to turn Stanich's son into an "orphan."
Hunt unequivocally condemned those threats.
"No one deserves death threats," Hunt said. "No one deserves to have any sort of threat put on their life for any political reason or for any reason, by any means. That is wrong."
Hunt said she would be disappointed with anyone using the confrontation to justify threats or harassment, regardless of that person’s political affiliation.
"If the Republican Party is doing this, or if anyone from any party is doing this, I’m very disappointed," Hunt said. "I do not stand with the people who do that."
"I want this lady to have peace," she continued. "I want her to be a happy human being, and I want her son to grow up in a great home."
Asked whether the incident had made her reluctant to continue speaking publicly about her political and religious beliefs, Hunt acknowledged that she sometimes feels frightened.
"I can be afraid at times," Hunt said. "I’m afraid to walk out of my house sometimes, but I know God is with me. I know God is by my side."
She said the experience would not cause her to retreat from her work with TPUSA.
"I will absolutely stand up for my conservative Christian values, as well as stand up for Turning Point USA, no matter the circumstances," Hunt said.