A Randolph County teacher has resigned after posting remarks on social media about the shooting death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Randolph County School District Superintendent Stephen Gainey said via email Wednesday evening that Wheatmore High School social studies teacher Heidi Varner is a former school system employee.
“She resigned from her position,” Gainey wrote.
A district staffer, who asked not to be identified, said Varner submitted her resignation on Sept. 14.
The move came after remarks Varner posted on her personal Facebook page on Sept. 10 — the day of Kirk’s shooting death — were shared nationwide by conservative influencer Ryan Fournier, who heads the national Students for Trump organization.
Varner’s post read:
“Yep. And people calling him a great person infuriates me. Not only did he speak ill of dead children, the LGBTQAI community, immigrants, women, non-Christians, etc. he pushed his hatred onto others. He was also a grifter. He didn’t have these beliefs 7 or 8 years ago. He found out when Trump took office that he could make a lot of money if he swung far right and that’s exactly what he did.”
The superintendent did not say when Varner began teaching in Randolph County. Varner’s LinkedIn page says she studied English and history at UNC-Greensboro from 2010-2012, then earned a teaching certification from UNC-Charlotte from 2012-2014. Varner could not be reached for comment.
Varner’s post, which is still circulating online, has garnered thousands of comments, many from Randolph County residents and parents, calling on the district to dismiss her.
Some comments featured the phrase: #anotheronebitesthedust, alluding to educator firings nationwide related to social media posts in the wake of Kirk’s death.
Second teacher to leave in Triad
Varner is the second Triad educator to leave a teaching slot following backlash from comments made about Kirk’s shooting death.
Guilford Technical Community College fired part-time instructor Lisa Greenlee last week after audio circulated featuring remarks she made in a classroom about Kirk’s death.
Conservative voices, including Vice President J.D. Vance, have called upon the public to “out” people who speak or write about Kirk in an unfavorable tone.
Several people who said they are Varner’s students posted remarks defending her right to post views some might deem unfavorable characterizations of Kirk.
Tyler Robinson, 22, is accused of shooting and killing Kirk while Kirk spoke at a public event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
sspear@rockinghamnow.com
(336) 349-4331, ext. 6140
@SpearSusie_RCN
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