Slain activist’s legacy sparks heated debate: Should Wheeling High honor Charlie Kirk?
Supporters and opponents of a proposal to recognize slain political activist Charlie Kirk as a distinguished Wheeling High School alumnus spoke Thursday at a Northwest Suburban High School District 214 meeting, but school officials remain noncommittal.
The public comments — eight for and three against — reflected dueling online petitions that have circulated over the last week about whether to honor the 2012 graduate.
One petition asks for Kirk to be named a distinguished alumnus, for the district to observe a day in his honor, and to expedite approval of any student chapters of Turning Point USA — the conservative political organization Kirk founded shortly after graduating high school.
Susan Schulenberg, a Wheeling High School parent, went a step further, suggesting the school install a statue of Kirk and permanent place of remembrance. She also asked for books he wrote to be part of the school library’s collection.
Other speakers, including Wheeling sophomore Daniel Paderin and alumni parent Cassie Kearney, sought answers about why Kirk’s photo was removed from a display in the school hallways in 2020.
School board members and Superintendent Scott Rowe didn’t respond at the meeting Thursday, but said they would provide written responses to the speakers via email.
District officials told the Daily Herald Wednesday that Kirk and other alumni were featured in a “Where Are They Now” campaign to highlight the district’s career pathways program. Their photos were on foam boards located above two stairwells and cafeteria windows, but were removed as the boards were deteriorating and the program ended amid a full district rebranding campaign, the district said.
Officials said they’re updating the process to apply for and assess distinguished alumni awards, and will follow that process with the recent proposals to recognize Kirk.
They turned down requests for a day of honor, including school assemblies and moments of reflection, saying those events would disrupt the learning environment, and encouraged people instead to attend services and vigils in the community.
The district also said Turning Point chapters would be allowed space in school buildings as “nonschool sponsored groups.”
Speakers differed on Kirk’s legacy, some regarding him as an important conservative leader who welcomed all viewpoints to the debate stage, while others described him as a polarizing figure who espoused harmful messages.
“Both sets of petitions posthumously honor him, his life and his achievements,” Arlington Heights resident John Saletta said. “It is now self evident that Charlie fits the board’s definition of a distinguished alumni. Charlie wanted the people of this country to be energized, get engaged, and come up to the microphone and express their views. As evidenced by both sets of petition, and those attending tonight, he is wildly successful in this endeavor.”
Nichole Anderson, president of the D214 Education Association, criticized statements released by the district after Kirk’s death that she said “leaned into the memorialization of him as a figure of note” in the district and weren’t well received by marginalized groups in the schools. She asked officials to resist calls to recognize Kirk further with distinguished alumni status.
“I know the district to be a group committed to fostering inclusiveness, welcoming, community, for every student, family, staff member and those who enter its doors,” Anderson said.