N.C. school board pays up in dispute over Charlie Kirk tribute

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education in Charlotte, N.C., agreed to adopt a new student speech policy months after school staff painted over a tribute to the slain conservative Christian activist. The board will pay $95,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees to settle allegations that it violated a student’s constitutional rights to religious freedom and free speech. The board also agreed to publicly exonerate the student, Gabby Stout, from claims that she vandalized a large outdoor rock used to communicate messages, according to Stout’s attorneys. A nonprofit legal firm, the Alliance Defending Freedom, represented Stout in the case.

What’s the background of the case? After the assassination of Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk last year, Stout painted the rock with “Live Like Kirk,” “Freedom 1776,” and a Scripture reference to the resurrection. Stout received permission from school officials to paint the rock, according to Alliance Defending Freedom. Other students had previously written messages such as support of sports teams or the Black Lives Matter movement on the rock.

Hours later, officials painted over the references to Kirk and the Bible. The next day, they publicly accused her of vandalism in a schoolwide email and in statements to news outlets. The school soon instituted a speech code that banned religious statements from being painted on the rock. While the school eventually dropped its allegations of vandalism, officials didn’t clear Stout’s name, according to the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Stout faced ostracism from classmates and online bullying after the incident, according to the Rev. Franklin Graham. The ministry leader and preacher hoped the settlement would deter other schools from violating students’ speech and religious freedom rights.

Dig deeper: Read Liz Lykins’ earlier report on the case for more details.