Oregon high school walk-out over teacher allegedly celebrating Charlie Kirk's death

Springfield, Ore. — Students at Thurston High School staged a walk-out on Wednesday to protest a staff member who allegedly celebrated the death of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The employee, Bobby Nove, who worked in the theater department, reportedly posted a single word after Kirk was shot and killed on a Utah campus: 'Good.' An image of the post circulated on social media, prompting outrage from parents and students in the Springfield area.

Parents and students flooded the district office with calls and emails, but initial responses were limited to a cautious condemnation of violence. Principal Kimberlee Pelster told Fox News Digital that the post does not reflect the values of the Thurston community and that violence is never the answer. 'We agree that this is concerning,' Pelster wrote in an email, according to KEZI 9 News. 'As a community with a unique connection to the impact of violence, we stand firm that violence is never the answer. We expect our educators to model caring. This does not reflect our values as a Thurston community.'

Students also spoke publicly about the incident. Thurston High student Rowan Taylor said, 'That ideology and just believing that murder is OK is not OK. And we strongly believe that we need to stand up against it and… there’s no place for that here.' He added that if the staff member was comfortable with murder, it raised questions about what other actions he might condone. In a statement to Fox News Digital, Springfield Public Schools spokesperson Brian Richardson said the post doesn’t reflect the district’s values and that officials are addressing the matter under district policies; he also noted that the district cannot comment on individual personnel actions.

As of Friday, Nove’s name remained listed on Thurston High’s staff directory. KVAL 13 News reported that several students met with the principal to discuss their concerns, and while the meeting went well, students remained unsure about what steps the district would take next.

National context: In the past 10 days, teachers in other states have faced scrutiny over social media posts that appeared to condone or celebrate Kirk’s assassination. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that more than 100 teachers would have their teaching certifications suspended based on posts calling for violence. Education officials caution that districts nationwide are grappling with how to respond to such posts while preserving a safe learning environment. Springfield Public Schools say they are addressing the matter under policy and will remain transparent with families as the investigation proceeds.