![Dr. Zanita Kelly, Director of Lower and Middle School, pictured above, and the rest of Westridge Administration were instrumental to providing Westridge faculty and staff the support they needed after the Eaton fire. "[Teachers] are part of the community," said Dr. Kelly. "Just like our families and students."](https://westridgespyglass.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/dr.-kellyyy-1-e1748143600809.png)
On September 10 at 12:23 PM, Charlie Kirk, a right-wing political activist, was shot while speaking at Utah Valley University. It was the first stop planned on his American Comeback Tour, a series of debates on college campuses organized by Turning Point USA, a conservative non-profit that Kirk co-founded.
Just hours after being rushed to the hospital, President Donald Trump announced Kirk’s death on Truth Social, a social media platform similar to X, owned by Trump Media & Technology Group. The President went on to award Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S given to individuals who made significant contributions to bettering the country. His death, along with his controversial opinions, sparked nationwide conversations and disputes about the increase in political violence, the limits of free speech, and the push for gun control.
Campus reaction was swift as news of Kirk’s death broke during classes. “I was really shocked,” said Ashley D. ’27. “It wasn’t something that I had kind of expected.”
Honor M. ’28 was “surprised that it had happened really quickly.”
Several students and faculty also expressed their views on gun violence. Juniors Isabelle Y. and Fia A. shared that although they disagreed with Kirk’s beliefs and values, they recognized that no one should die for their opinions. Similarly, Upper School Chemistry teacher Dr. Edye Udell stated, “No matter what you say, you should not be assassinated for anything that you believe.”
Several students also lamented the fact that Kirk’s assassination gained much more attention than other incidents of gun violence, including school shootings. For students, Kirk’s death reiterated ongoing concerns about gun control and safety.
For some students, the news of Kirk’s death registered neither sadness nor celebration. One student admitted to initially feeling both joy and dread over public reaction.
For Dr. Udell, the assassination highlighted ongoing societal and political issues, reflecting broader concerns across campus about gun violence and political opinions. She said, “I am really disturbed by what is happening in government, in politics, in society,” noting that the event made her think about the larger state of the nation. “So I’m feeling… I’m just feeling scared for our country,” she ends.
