By Sydney Byerly
The Indiana Citizen
April 20, 2026
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith assailed the leadership of Valparaiso Community Schools, calling for its superintendent to resign in a series of social media posts after the district apologized for Beckwith’s Friday appearance at a high school event.
The dust-up stems from Beckwith’s April 17 visit to Valparaiso High School. According to the district, Beckwith was invited to speak at a career fair about Indiana’s economy and career opportunities.
In posts on X the two days following his visit, Beckwith described the event as largely positive, saying students were “engaged, curious, and ready to take on the future.” He said a small group of students approached him after his remarks to challenge his views, which he described as rooted in his Christian faith and conservative values.
He said he welcomed the exchange as part of open dialogue in education. However, Beckwith said that afterward, “that same small group complained that my presence ‘triggered’ them”—and he took issue with the school district’s response.
Beckwith’s remarks were not broadcast, and it was not clear exactly what the lieutenant governor and the group of students had discussed after his speech. The Times of Northwest Indiana reported that parents of students told the newspaper Beckwith made disparaging remarks about transgender people.
On Friday, following Beckwith’s appearance, Valparaiso Community Schools Superintendent Jim McCall issued a public apology to families, saying some of Beckwith’s interactions with students were “offensive” and emphasizing that schools “are not a platform for any political agenda.”
McCall’s statement acknowledged missteps by the district, including not informing families in advance of Beckwith’s appearance and allowing a student introduction that included political language drawn from his official biography, which included “fighting the woke agenda.”
“Mr. Beckwith’s personal views are his own and do not reflect Valparaiso Community Schools,” McCall wrote. “Our schools are not a platform for any political agenda, and every student deserves to feel respected and welcome here. We will vet outside speakers more carefully going forward, regardless of the title they hold.”
In response, Beckwith accused McCall of weak leadership and called for his resignation, writing that the apology reflected “what’s wrong with our WOKE education system.” He argued schools should expose students to differing viewpoints rather than “shield” them from ideas they disagree with.
Beckwith’s posts grew increasingly personal, repeatedly calling for McCall’s resignation and describing him as a “weak” leader who “should never be in leadership.” In other posts, he praised an Oklahoma school principal who recently went viral when students crowned him prom king weeks after he was shot in the leg while tackling a school shooter as an example of “courageous leadership.”
He said McCall “would have run the other way.”
“Weak men like Jim are what is wrong with our WOKE schools. Strong men like Kirk Moore are what we need more of in education,” Beckwith said.
The lieutenant governor pointed to the incident as evidence for expanding school choice policies, including Indiana’s voucher program, arguing that parents should be able to choose schools where “leadership is strong” and students are exposed to differing viewpoints.
“Any superintendent who discourages open dialogue isn’t educating students — they’re indoctrinating them,” Beckwith wrote.
Beckwith also criticized the district for what he described as inconsistent standards on political expression, referencing a previous student walkout at Valparaiso High School protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The lieutenant governor’s posts escalated in tone, at times directly insulting McCall and repeating calls for his resignation. McCall, however, had already announced plans in March to leave the district at the end of the school year.
This episode is part of a broader pattern of criticism Beckwith has leveled at public schools. Reporting by The Indiana Citizen last year detailed his involvement in meetings with activists and political allies focused on advancing an “anti-woke” agenda in education, including discussions around influencing curriculum and school governance.
In a separate post over the weekend, he also took aim at library materials in a LaPorte school district, arguing schools have replaced religious values with what he described as harmful content.
The clash reflects a broader effort by Indiana’s Republican leadership to reshape the role of public schools, with increased scrutiny on classroom content, continued expansion of voucher programs and a push to grow conservative student groups. Gov. Mike Braun has promoted a statewide effort to bring more chapters of the conservative Turning Point USA into high schools, positioning them as a counterweight to what allies describe as liberal influence in education.
Sydney Byerly is a political reporter who grew up in New Albany, Indiana. Before joining The Citizen, Sydney reported news for TheStatehouseFile.com and most recently managed and edited The Corydon Democrat & Clarion News in southern Indiana. She earned her bachelor’s in journalism at Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism (‘Sco Griz!).
The Indiana Citizen is a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed and engaged Hoosier citizens. We are operated by the Indiana Citizen Education Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) public charity. For questions about the story, contact Marilyn Odendahl at marilyn.odendahl@indianacitizen.org.
