Copyright WEAU
TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD/Gray News) - A group of high school teachers from Arizona received death threats after their Halloween costumes were wrongly linked to Charlie Kirk’s assassination. For Halloween, a group of Cienega High School math teachers wore shirts covered in fake blood that read, “Problem Solved.” A picture of them went viral, sparking controversy across the country. Turning Point USA originally claimed the shirts made light of co-founder Kirk’s September assassination on the Utah Valley University campus. However, the Vail School District said that was not the intent of the costumes, which were “meant to represent solving tough math problems.” The same teachers wore the shirts last year for Halloween, which the district confirmed through a photo of the group dated Oct. 31, 2024. “We shouldn’t have worn them, and we shouldn’t have posted it in retrospect. I have deep sympathy and understanding for all people who are victims of violence, including Charlie Kirk and his family,” said John Carruth, the district’s superintendent. Carruth says the photo of the teachers was taken out of context. He says he heard no complaints from students or parents about the shirts until the photo went viral online. Since then, the school district and the teachers involved have received death threats from across the country. “The fact that this photo was taken so out of context and spread so quickly without doing some simple fact-checking has been really harmful to them,” Carruth said. “Rushing to conclusions and quick to anger and lob that anger at people who you don’t know and you don’t know who their intent is and you don’t know who their values are - that also has consequences and causes harm.” In a statement, Marisol Garcia, the president of the Arizona Education Association, said in part, “Over the weekend, bad-faith actors mobilized an online mob against educators in the Vail School District. We are horrified by the barrage of death threats that followed, and we urge law enforcement to fully investigate all threats and protect the Vail community.” The threats led the Pima County Sheriff’s Department to send heightened security to Cienega High on Monday. “We take all threats seriously and encourage anyone who sees something to say something,” said the department in a statement. Activists in Arizona have voiced their concerns about the teachers’ costumes. KOLD spoke with Kathleen Winn, the chairman for the Pima County Republican Party, who said, regardless of intention, the shirts were inappropriate for the classroom. “Whether it’s not political at all, you have a bunch of teachers in bloody shirts... high school kids are still impressionable,” Winn said. “With so much violence in our society and so much violence at the heart of most of the issues in this country, it seems a little tone deaf to me.” Arizona State Rep. Rachel Keshel also condemned the incident over the weekend, calling for accountability. Her statement reads as follows: “As a proud southern Arizona legislator, I am deeply outraged by the recent reports of staff at Vail Unified School District donning costumes that seemingly mock the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk—complete with ‘Problem Solved’ slogans and simulated blood stains on the same side that Charlie’s fatal wound was on. This grotesque display has no place in our schools, which should be sanctuaries of education, not arenas for political vitriol or celebration of violence. The pain inflicted on Charlie Kirk’s family, friends, and the broader conservative community is immeasurable, and to see educators potentially trivializing such a heinous act is not only insensitive but a profound betrayal of the trust parents place in our public schools. Arizona’s families deserve better than adults who prioritize partisan provocation over professionalism." “I must firmly reject any attempts to downplay this incident as mere ‘math problem-solving’ attire recycled from last year. Recent alumni, including my daughter, have confirmed these shirts were not worn by any of the math teachers last year. If this is incorrect, I would like proof. Although these shirts can be purchased on Amazon, they celebrate real-life murder, and are, minimally, extremely short-sighted and tone deaf after the country recently dealt with the horrific tragedy of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Such costumes aren’t harmless fun; they normalize the unthinkable—political assassination—in front of impressionable young minds. In a state like Arizona, where we champion free speech but hold sacred the principles of civility and safety, this crosses every line. It’s particularly alarming in a school setting, where children look to their teachers as role models, not as endorsers of extremism." “I am calling on Superintendent John Carruth to take immediate and decisive action: terminate the employment of every individual involved in creating, wearing, or permitting these abhorrent costumes. Anything less sends a dangerous message that hate has a home in our classrooms. Our kids’ well-being demands accountability, and I stand ready to support legislation ensuring such conduct faces swift consequences. Let’s recommit to unity, respect, and excellence in Arizona’s education system—starting today.” A letter sent by Carruth to families in the Vail District reads as follows: Dear Vail Parents and Families, 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. We understand how this image could be misunderstood and taken out of context, especially by people who are not associated with the teachers or the school. We are truly sorry 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. We are also saddened that our teachers are now receiving hurtful messages and online harassment as a result of this misunderstanding. We want to be clear - personal attacks, threats, or doxxing are never acceptable and do not reflect the values of our community. All threats are being reported to the police. 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.
