Charged with vandalism after painting her school’s spirit rock with a patriotic message memorializing Charlie Kirk, a high school junior is suing her local school board.
The student, named only G.S. in the lawsuit since she is a minor, and her family have filed a lawsuit against Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools for censorship and for violating her constitutional rights, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is representing the family.
Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September, G.S. wanted to honor the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA., desiring to create a space where students could pay their respects.
She asked school officials at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, for permission to paint the rock with a patriotic message related to the Christian activist.
After receiving permission, she and two friends painted a United States flag, the message “Freedom 1776,” a heart, and a tribute to Charlie Kirk: “Live Like Kirk—John 11:25.” At the base of the rock, they placed a vase of flowers.
Within hours, the school painted over the tribute without informing G.S.
The next day, school officials sent an email to the entire school community accusing her of vandalism, indicating they had contacted law enforcement and were cooperating with a criminal investigation.
On the following day, G.S. was called out of class and forced to write out a statement that summarized her actions. She was then forced to edit that statement to include details school officials deemed important.
Later that day, school officials interrogated G.S. about her statement and forced her to share data from her cell phone, without obtaining her parents’ consent.
Throughout those two days, G.S. was never advised of her constitutional rights in any criminal proceeding, including the right to remain silent and to legal counsel.
The following evening, Ardrey Kell High School announced a Revised Spirit Rock Speech Code, where students could no longer express “political” or “religious” messages on the rock, including any “religious” and/or “political statements/symbols.”
Lacking any further definition, the new terms restricted student expression to “reflect positive school spirit and uphold inclusive values,” to express “school-spirit and good news,” and to be in “good taste.”
After interviewing G.S. to verify she had received permission before painting the rock, the school silently closed the investigation, but they still refused to clear her name, despite publicly accusing her of a crime before any investigation took place and releasing statements claiming the school had never investigated her.
G.S. and her friends faced abuse from their peers and the community, with the story covered on local news and some national news outlets.
“No student should be censored, punished and shamed by school officials simply for sharing her views,” said ADF senior counsel Travis Barham. “Charlie Kirk boldly defended open and respectful discourse on school grounds literally until his last breath, and this courage inspired many across the country, including the student who painted the message on Ardrey Kell High School’s spirit rock.
“This situation goes beyond irony, however, as school officials illegally censored and threatened students for sharing a widely held message with which they happened to disagree.
“We are urging the court to hold the officials responsible for violating students’ constitutional rights to free speech, free exercise of religion, and due process.”
