Florida Governor Ron DeSantis brings about changes in a local college by commissioning a statue of political leader Charlie Kirk.
The New College of Florida, a public liberal arts school in Sarasota, Florida, has announced plans to commission a statue of the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The statue will stand on the college campus, marking a significant move towards transforming the institution into a "beacon of conservatism," as Governor Ron DeSantis's plan aims.
Charlie Kirk, known for his staunch far-right positions and popular among a segment of America's young, male demographic, was shot dead last week in Utah. Kirk promoted anti-abortion, anti-immigration, and opposed LGBTQIA+ rights ideologies. He also referenced and propagated the "great replacement" theory, a debunked white nationalist conspiracy theory.
The proposed design of Kirk's statue depicts him seated at a table with two empty chairs, speaking into a microphone and gesturing toward an imagined audience. This setup perhaps invites students to debate him in perpetuity, mirroring the campus conservative movement he spread through his organization, Turning Point USA.
James Uthmeier, DeSantis's chief of staff, said the plan was to make the school "Florida's classical college, more along the lines of a Hillsdale of the South." The New College of Florida, founded as a private institution in 1964 and becoming an autonomous college within Florida's state university system in 2001, is expected to emulate the conservative ethos of Hillsdale College in Michigan.
However, it is not confirmed whether Kirk will be included in Trump's proposed National Garden of Heroes, a controversial public sculpture project. On September 10, the day Kirk was shot and killed, President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff at the White House and other public places in honor of Kirk.
The statue's location will be announced in the coming months, and it will be privately funded by community leaders. The New College of Florida's board of trustees underwent an overhaul in 2023, as part of DeSantis's plan to reshape the school's conservative identity. The college's transformation is set to continue, with the statue of Charlie Kirk serving as a symbol of its new direction.
