CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September, is scheduled to speak at Western Albemarle High School on April 2, even if the Albemarle County School Board passes a proposed policy changing when guest speakers can address student organizations.

Kirk is scheduled to meet with the Western Albemarle High School chapter of Turning Point USA, the organization Kirk founded to promote conservative viewpoints, a source confirmed to Cville Right Now.

Kirk is set to address the club during lunch on April 2, but the policy county staff will recommend to the School Board at Thursday night’s meeting would ban lunchtime speakers and require Kirk to move her appearance to after the school day is complete.

Of course, the policy regarding extra-curricular activities in the school division is in its earliest stages of being considered. At Thursday night’s meeting, the Board will receive the staff recommendation regarding the new policy, which includes the change on when guest speakers can address school clubs.

ACPS spokesperson Jason Grant told Cville Right Now that staff has been working on the new policy recommendation since November. 

In September, the TPUSA chapter at Western Albemarle invited conservative activist Victoria Cobb to speak to the club in November, giving a talk entitled “Two genders, one truth,” sparking a backlash and debate that prompted the Board to seek clearer rules around visiting speakers.

“Staff went through looking at, ‘What do other jurisdictions do?’” Grant said.

He said the Board gave the staff certain parameters, including federal law compliance, the protection of First Amendment rights, equity for all clubs and minimizing disruption to the learning environment. 

Thursday’s meeting will include the first reading of the proposed new policy. Then, there will be a week to allow for the Board to deliberate and for the public to offer its input. On March 12, the board will meet again, and – after a session of public comment – it could choose to vote on the policy. 

“That is the public process,” Grant said. “This is actually a very public establishment of policy, as public as it can be.”

Grant emphasized the policy change that is being considered had nothing to do with TPUSA’s plan to bring Kirk to Western Albemarle.

“It came from, not Erica Kirk, it came from November when the board said, ‘Take a look at this policy because we’ve gotten emails and concerns about potential disruptions of the school days,” Grant said.

The new policy would draw a distinction between non-curricular activities, which allow students to pursue interests outside of the school curriculum, and co-curricular activities, which advance the school division’s curriculum.