New Jersey teacher resigns after posting 'Some people have to die' about Charlie Kirk's murder

A New Jersey elementary school teacher resigned amid backlash over a social media post about the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Elizabeth Clark, a fifth-grade math instructor at Katharine D. Malone Elementary School in Morris County, resigned during a Rockaway Township Board of Education meeting this week, according to reports.

Online screenshots show Clark posted the remark on Sept. 10, mere hours after the conservative activist was killed at Utah Valley University. The post read, "Some people have to die – buh bye." Kirk, a married father of two and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed on campus; his suspected attacker, Tyler Robinson, was charged with first-degree murder.

Clark said she had been placed on administrative leave on Sept. 11 and told the Daily Record she resigned because she feared for her safety. "I resigned because I feared for my safety," she said. "And me being present at the school would have caused safety concerns for the children. I did not feel Rockaway could protect me and keep me safe." Clark could not be reached for comment.

The Rockaway Township Board later told Patch that Clark had resigned during the private session of the meeting. Residents at the meeting criticized the comment; one attendee said, "Public assassination and celebrating it is detrimental to the children," according to Patch.

The district did not specify any additional disciplinary action tied to Clark's post. The incident has drawn attention to local debates about educators' online conduct and safety protocols in New Jersey schools.