An Oklahoma father refused to let his son join a statewide silence for Charlie Kirk, as schools push back on Superintendent Ryan Walters‘ directive.
An Oklahoma father has shared why he refused to let his teenage son take part in a statewide moment of silence to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week, describing the directive from State Superintendent Ryan Walters as a „violation“ of his family’s rights.
Kirk, who founded the conservative student group Turning Point USA, was recently killed in an attack that Walters called an act of political violence. In a letter to parents, Walters urged schools to pause at noon on September 16 to reflect on Kirk’s legacy, praising him as someone who „empowered the next generation with courage and conviction.“
Marshall Wayne Thomas, whose 16-year-old son attends Ardmore High School, told Newsweek he was stunned after receiving Walters‘ email on Monday afternoon.
„I was really shocked and I was hurt, because I think that Charlie was a rather controversial figure and a lot of people have a lot of mixed reactions“, Thomas said. „Being forced to participate in a vigil or something to honor him, I feel really was a violation of our constitutional rights. It wasn’t something I wanted my child to be a part of.“
Kirk’s killing on September 10 during a campus event at Utah Valley has intensified debate over political violence, campus speech and how schools respond to polarizing public figures.
Supporters say tributes are an act of respect; critics say state-led commemorations compel students to honor a figure whose politics they may reject.Family pushback
Thomas said that he sat down with his son to review Kirk’s public statements before making a decision.
