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Did Cienega High School teachers mock Charlie Kirk's death with Halloween T-shirts? Vail School District responds
The Vail School District has issued a clarification after Cienega High School teachers were accused of mocking Charlie Kirk’s death with Halloween costumes.
Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet has accused Cienega High School teachers of mocking Charlie Kirk’s death by wearing T-shirts covered with fake blood. The words ‘Problem Solved’ were written on the T-shirts, photos of which have surfaced on social media, triggering backlash against the Vail School District.
However, the Vail School District has responded to the criticism, saying the photos are being shared with a false narrative.
What did Andrew Kolvet say?
Sharing photos of a group of teachers posing in the T-shirts, Kolvet, who served as executive producer of The Charlie Kirk Show, wrote on X, “Concerned parents just sent us this image of what's believed to be teachers in @vailschools in Tuscon, Arizona mocking Charlie's murder with costumes that read "Problem Solved" and blood down the left side of their shirts. They deserve to be famous, and fired.”
Kolvet claimed that the picture was quickly deleted.
Vail School District speaks out
District officials said that the outfits were not meant to target any person or political issue, but were part of a math-themed Halloween costume meant to represent solving difficult math problems. The district added that the T-shirts were worn last year too, as part of the same costume idea, long before the recent events.
John Carruth, Superintendent, Vail School District, said in a statement, according to kgun9.com, “We’re writing to inform you about a situation that has been circulating on social media involving members of Cienega High School’s math department.
A photo showing teachers wearing shirts that say “Problem Solved” has caused confusion and concern. We want to clarify that these shirts were part of a math-themed Halloween costume meant to represent solving tough math problems. The shirts were never intended to target any person, event, or political issue.”
“Unfortunately, the image is being shared online with false claims that they were intended as a statement of recent events in our country. This is unequivocally untrue. The shirts were purchased online and were also worn last year as part of the same math-themed costumes, long before recent events. For anyone questioning the validity that the shirts were worn last year, I am happy to provide the photo to you,” Carruth added.
Carruth added that they understand that the context was misunderstood, and apologized for the “hurt or upset it has caused.”
“The teachers involved care deeply about their students and this community. Many have served Vail families for years. All of them are committed to protecting children, and none of them would intentionally cause hurt or pain. They too are truly sorry that this has caused concerns. The shirts will not be worn again. We appreciate the opportunity to learn from this experience and ask for your grace as we do so,” Caruth added.
Carruth further said that the teachers are being harassed online, stressing that “personal attacks, threats, or doxxing are never acceptable and do not reflect the values of our community.” He added that the threats are being reported to police.
Carruth concluded, “We appreciate those who reached out with their concerns and hope this message provides clarity and reassurance. The Vail School District remains committed to maintaining safe, supportive school communities where every student and staff member feels respected and valued.”
Kirk, 31, was allegedly shot dead by Tyler Robinson on September 10 during an appearance at a campus event in Utah. The shooting happened around 12:20 pm local time during a student Q&A at UVU in Orem.
Andrew Kolvet reacts after Vail School District's clarification
In an update after the Vail School District's response, Kolvet shared a photo of teachers wearing the same costume on a previous occasion. “We've seen enough evil since Charlie's murder that I'd actually be relieved if this isn't another example,” he wrote.
“That being said, it's a very weird constume for teachers in general, but after what happened to Charlie, I'm absolutely floored they wore it again,” he added. “I do not believe for a second that all of them are innocent. Some probably are (and it's for their sake that I'm updating this thread) but I believe others knew exactly what they were doing. The school district's decision to remove the image immediatley after posting shows that anyone with a brain knew how this would be seen.”
As his “final thought,” Kolvet said, “Final thought: School teachers have been among the worst offenders of mocking and celebrating Charlie's assassination. I have my theories as to why, but at this point they should not be surprised that parents and the community are on high alert.”
