Charlotte school system settles with student investigated over Charlie Kirk tribute

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CN) — A high school junior and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education have reached a $95,000 settlement after the student claimed she was investigated for painting a Charlie Kirk tribute in the wake of his death.

The student, identified in her lawsuit as G.S., said school officials at Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte painted over her tribute on a school spirit rock within hours, and the next day they contacted law enforcement and accused her of vandalism. The school board closed the criminal investigation against her within three days, G.S. said, and then claimed it never investigated her.

G.S., who is suing through her parents Steven and Kristen Stout, said in her civil complaint that she got advance permission from school officials at before painting the rock. She told them she wanted to paint “something U.S.A. themed” and “something for Charlie Kirk who recently passed,” she said, and the school official she spoke to said “that would be very nice.”

The homage included a heart, the U.S. flag, and the messages “Freedom 1776” and “Live Like Kirk—John 11:25.” A vase with flowers was placed at the base of the rock.

As part of the settlement, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education has adopted new student speech guidelines, and will pay $95,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees and “exonerate” G.S., the Alliance Defending Freedom said Monday.

The school board confirmed the settlement, noting it has adopted two new policies, including one upholding non-disruptive student speech and directing school officials to use viewpoint neutrality in limiting student speech, and another creating a legal compliance and advocacy office.

“The students’ painting of the Ardrey Kell spirit rock on September 14, 2025, did not violate the code of student conduct or other school system policies in place at the time,” the board said in a statement. “It was not an act of vandalism, and the school did not report the incident to law enforcement. The board regrets that the student had this experience.”

“What happened to this student is outrageous. School officials should never censor, punish or shame a student simply for sharing her views,” said Travis Barham, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, who represented G.S.

“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 our client, whom Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials treated so abominably,” Barham said in a statement.

“It is long past time for school officials to learn that they cannot promote student viewpoints they like while punishing students whose views they dislike," he continued. “We hope the new policy prevents school officials from subjecting any other students to the abuse our client experienced and will instead force them to respect every student’s constitutional rights.”

G.S. said in her suit that she painted the rock with two friends and her parents the day after she was given permission, and her parents were called by the school principal the next week to tell them that the message the rock had been painted with “was not authorized,” that the school considered it an act of vandalism, and that it had contacted law enforcement.

G.S. also said she was pulled out of class to write a statement about painting the rock, during which an assistant principal went through her phone logs, which the plaintiffs called a violation of her civil rights.

The school district promptly changed the policy to prevent students from painting “political” or “religious messages” on the rock, the junior and her parents said.

Students labeled G.S. as “the girl that painted the rock,” the plaintiffs said, and the following month the school district sent out an email saying that the painting was not vandalism or a violation of the student code or conduct, and denying that law enforcement was contacted.

The plaintiffs, who claimed the school district violated the First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, Fifth Amendment and 14th Amendment, had asked the court to quash the new painting policy, remove any negative information about the investigation from the girl’s records and apologize. They filed suit in December 2025.

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