(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A school district in Charlotte, North Carolina that initiated a criminal investigation into a student for painting a memorial to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk has agreed to pay $95,000 to settle a lawsuit over the matter.
After Kirk’s Sept. 10 assassination, a student at Ardrey Kell High School painted a message on its “spirit rock” in support of Kirk and his Christian message. She, her parents, and two fellow students painted the rock with the words “Freedom 1776” and “Live Like Kirk—John 11:25” on Sept. 13.
Within hours, the student, Gabby Stout learned that school officials ordered the memorial to be painted over, according to the lawsuit, which was filed December in North Carolina federal court with the help of the organization Alliance Defending Freedom.
“The next day, [school] officials publicly accused [Stout] of a crime and a student conduct violation (vandalism), contacted law enforcement, and began cooperating with the criminal investigation,” Stout’s lawsuit says.
“The day after that, the Monday (and first school day) after [Stout] painted the spirit rock, [school] officials called her out of class, forced her to write out a statement summarizing her rock-painting efforts, and forced her to edit that statement to include details they believed to be important. And they did this without first advising [Stout] of her constitutional rights in any criminal proceeding, including the right to remain silent and the right to have legal counsel.”
A Charlotte high school student was criminally investigated for painting a memorial for Charlie Kirk on the school's "spirit rock"
The student is suing over the matter. The school previously allowed pro-BLM messages on the rock, her lawsuit says
H/t to @NumberSixTNP for flagging pic.twitter.com/sumfGHKHsX— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) December 9, 2025
By the end of the week, the school quietly closed its investigation. But the damage had already been done. Along with the distress caused by the prospect of criminal charges, Stout said she felt humiliated and ostracized by other students over the matter.
Some six months later, Stout and the school district reached a settlement. As part of the settlement, the school board agreed to adopt a new free speech policy, to issue a public statement clearing the student of all wrongdoing and expressing “regret that the student had this experience,” and to pay $95,000 in costs and attorneys’ fees, according to a press release from ADF.
“What happened to this student is outrageous. School officials should never censor, punish, or shame a student simply for sharing her views,” said ADF Senior Counsel Travis Barham said in a press release last week.
“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. 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.”
Ken Silva is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
