In the Chicago suburbs near where Charlie Kirk attended high school, a couple Republican groups promoted vigils for the one-year anniversary of the right-wing activist’s assassination.
The small collection of gatherings stand in stark contrast to the hubbub that occurred in the area a year before when Kirk was murdered at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. Tyler Robinson, accused of shooting Kirk from a rooftop at the university in Orem, Utah, must now stand trial for seven charges, including murder.
Dueling petitions circulated after the shooting debating whether Township High School District 214 should honor Kirk, an alumnus of Wheeling High School, in the northwest suburbs of Chicago
The district was bombarded with dozens of emails — most of them asking the superintendent, board of education and school leaders to not publicly honor Kirk due to misogynistic, anti-LGBTQ+ and racist comments the co-founder of Turning Point USA made — according to public records obtained by Raw Story.
But, others called on the district to recognize Kirk with a Distinguished Alumni Award, a moment of silence or permanent memorial.
Parents at Kirk’s alma mater received an email addressing “social media rumors” and the need for increased police presence on campus, along with altering Homecoming plans.
School leadership fielded emails about safety issues ranging from reports of a “strange man” at a nearby gas station asking questions about Kirk after making a pilgrimage from South Dakota due to “visions” — to a parent looking for guidance on potential concerns for a Mariachi trio performing the national anthem at the upcoming football game.
While the petitions about supporting honors for Kirk, or opposing them, garnered more than 5,900 and 5,500 signatures, respectively, and lots of media attention, a year later, Kirk is “too sensitive to talk about in the current climate,” said an area teacher.
“I hate hate hate that everyone is so scared of this disgusting government of ours.”
The school district declined to participate in any interviews.
“At this time of year, our focus is on the start of the school year and supporting our students, staff and schools as we get underway,” said Lindsey Dombrowski, a District 214 spokesperson.
The fight over honoring Kirk has consumed the school during the year since he died.
A public records request for emails about Kirk sent to District 214 Superintendent Scott Rowe in the two weeks after Kirk’s death yielded 135 pages, with emailers’ names redacted.
The emails received by school and district leadership included a note from an alumnus who made a school pride video with Kirk parodying the State of the Union.
“With the tragic passing of Charlie Kirk, it has been very difficult for all of us who were blessed to know him,” the emailer said. “He was a great friend, teammate, and fellow Wildcat.
Another emailer asked Wheeling High School Principal Angela Hawkins to establish a permanent memorial for Kirk, who received a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump.
“It is necessary for Wheeling High School to recognize the legacy of alumni who have left a lasting impact,” the emailer wrote. “With millions of followers and a significant role in American media, Charlie’s influence as an advocate for free speech cannot be overlooked.”
Others asked Rowe to honor Kirk in a “meaningful way” such as “a moment of silence, a public acknowledgment or another tribute.”
“Charlie was not only a national political figure but also a fellow Wildcat who often credited Wheeling as an important part of his journey,” the emailer wrote. “Regardless of political affiliation, Charlie was a rising voice in national discourse who inspired and engaged countless young people across the country and he spoke frequently about his roots in District 214.”
But, when the district and Wheeling High School posted website messages acknowledging Kirk’s death, criticisms came in, accusing the district of harming marginalized communities and failing to uphold its values of “inclusivity and kindness.”
“We are writing in response to the District 214 message regarding Charlie Kirk, a man who once said that he hated the word empathy and continuously spouted hateful, racist and xenophobic rhetoric … we vehemently do not approve of glorifying his accomplishments and his time in d214, when his actions and message in his adult life were hateful and dangerous,” said one emailer.
It prompted Rowe to send an apology to those who emailed with concerns, and the district took down a pop-up website announcement about Kirk.
“We apologize if the way we displayed our statement on Charlie Krik’s [sic] passing caused any discomfort,” Rowe wrote.
“Our intention was to remember and express our condolences following the tragic death of an alumni. However, the statement should not have been a pop up on our home page, and we have removed that feature.”
The district continued to put out fires related to Kirk’s death, including facing calls to terminate an employee for their social media posts about Kirk. One emailer accused the faculty member of “celebrating the death of a former student of the school.”
A handful of school employees and teachers in the area were targeted for termination over their social media posts about Kirk.
Another pushed for a school board member to resign for protesting Trump.
The school board also addressed rumors circulating on social media by conservative groups like Moms4Liberty that accused Wheeling High School of quietly removing an alumni plaque honoring Kirk.
The school board emailed the person who brought up the topic during public comment at a board meeting.
The email clarified that Kirk was not previously named a Distinguished Alumni but was featured in a “Where Are They Now” campaign about the district’s career pathways program. All alumni photos, including Kirk’s, were removed when the program ended and the foam board displays deteriorated.
The board also shared information about district policies on students starting Turning Point USA chapters, which would be designated non-school sponsored groups due to advocating for specific religious, political or philosophical beliefs.
After his death, Kirk’s high school started a Club America chapter, the high school version of Turning Point USA groups.
Turning Point did not immediately respond to Raw Story’s questions.
The vast majority of the messages Rowe and other school leaders received about Kirk implored the district not to honor Kirk.
“While every shooting is abhorrent, considering any kind of District 214 commemoration or recognition of Charlie Kirk is not only wrong, but is an insult to the hundreds of schoolchildren who are killed year after year in this country,” one email to the school board said.
“The very fact that our flags had to be flown at half-staff for a civilian who spread so much hate, misogynistic, anti-gay, antisemitic, anti-black, anti-immigration verifiable messages should alone set off alarms to this board. (Was the flag flown half-staff for Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota lawmaker who was assassinated or for all those slain schoolchildren?)
“Most historians agree that our country is spiraling to a fascist type of government; and capitulating and recognizing Kirk's messages of hate is contributing to one more step toward that spiral.”
Another email to the school board was filled with exclamation points, telling the district Kirk “DESERVES NOTHING” in terms of honors from the district.
“Any sort or recognition by the board, the district or even Wheeling HS would say to me that you are nothing but political whores. What type of message does this send to the students of the district? Are you all Trumper whores? Moreover, I resent even a dime of my tax dollars being spent on anything like this. I am a fan of the district and am very glad . But if you are even remotely considering doing any sort of honor or recognition for Kirk, please get your collective heads out of your rear ends and wise up!” the Sept 16 email said.
The school was asked to create a memorial to gun violence victims by one emailer warning against “false prophets” like Kirk known to “indoctrinate young women.”
“I am not writing merely to be an obstructionist; I offer an alternative proposal. Rather than honoring only one victim of gun violence because he was local or famous, let us instead honor all victims of school shootings,” the emailer said.
Others asked the district not to elevate Kirk for his history of promoting white nationalism, hostility toward diversity and inclusion and “racism, transphobia and homophobia,” which stand “in stark opposition” to the district’s mission.
Ultimately, the district opted not to host a district-wide day of honor for Kirk and displayed no mention of the anniversary of Kirk’s death on its website.
“While we extend our deepest condolences to Charlie Kirk’s family and friends for this terrible and senseless loss, a district-wide event would disrupt the learning environment at our schools,” the board wrote to public commenter and other emailers.
“We encourage students, faculty, staff, and families to mourn and remember Charlie together at one of the many public services and vigils that are being organized throughout the community.”