An event at a Central Jersey middle school is drawing the ire of parents and groups that describe it as nakedly partisan — featuring U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on a 50-state tour in partnership with conservative groups such as the Charlie Kirk-founded Turning Point USA.

In a letter to Cedar Drive Middle School families, Colts Neck Superintendent MaryJane Garibay celebrates the visit — part of the History Rocks! Trail to Independence Tour in celebration of the country’s 250th birthday — as an “extraordinary opportunity to highlight the remarkable work of our students, educators, support staff, and Board of Education.”

The letter describes History Rocks! as a “key component” of the America 250 Civics Education Coalition, which federal Department of Education materials say includes Turning Point USA, Moms for Liberty, the Conservative Partnership Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and other conservative and religiously oriented policy groups. But the letter doesn’t say what, if any, involvement any of those groups would have in Friday’s event.

Garibay’s letter describes the History Rocks! program as “a meaningful, nonpartisan initiative designed to inspire students’ interest in U.S. history and civic responsibility.” It says the event will include a schoolwide assembly, classroom visits and a small-group roundtable with students, teachers and local officials.

Soon after the district’s announcement, a petition began circulating urging the school to keep groups like Turning Point USA out of instructional settings.

Michael Gottesman, founder of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition, said his Facebook and email inboxes were full of messages from people alarmed by the district’s decision to host the event during the school day. Gottesman founded the group to oppose what it calls “right-wing extremists” on school boards amid the growing influence of “parents' rights” groups and efforts to bar books from school and public libraries.

“Our concern is not that the secretary of education is appearing. Our concern is that it appears it's being run by Turning Point USA,” Gottesman said. “Turning Point USA is … a religious organization, and in the past they have had ideologies that are anti-people of color, racist, antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ.”

LGBTQ advocacy organization Garden State Equality also released a statement condemning the event, highlighting the History Rocks! connections to conservative organizations.

“It is outrageous that Dr. Garibay expects the Cedar Drive Middle School community, and the community at-large, to believe that ‘History Rocks’ is a ‘non-partisan initiative,’” Justine Evyn Saliski, the group’s senior director for education and youth development, said in the statement. “Cedar Drive LGBTQ+ middle school students deserve better than this. It is unethical and dangerous to bring such hate-fueled representatives into a public education building.”

Neither Garibay nor the Colts Neck Township Board of Education President Angelique Volpe, whom Garibay credited with bringing the event to Cedar Drive Middle School, responded to requests for comment. An email to the U.S. Department of Education also went unanswered.

“We have to keep an eye on it because it's part of the bigger plan to introduce these types of ideologies into our public school system and to introduce religion into our public school system,” Gottesman said.

Last month, the Colts Neck education board adopted a “Parental Bill of Rights” that mirrors conservative efforts across the country. The policy allows parents to opt students out of lessons that run counter to their religious beliefs. It also gives parents access to information about the name, pronouns, bathrooms and mental health programs their children use.

The district was also one of several to adopt, but then later repeal, so-called “Policy 5756,” which was based on Gov. Chris Christie-era guidance and generally barred schools from alerting parents about students’ gender identities.

The vote also follows a pitched legal battle over gender-inclusive education regulations the state Board of Education adopted in 2023. An appeals court upheld the state regulations in September.

Colts Neck leans Republican and larger Monmouth County voted for Donald Trump in 2024 by more than 10 points over Kamala Harris.