NJ Teacher Resigns Following Charlie Kirk Comment Backlash

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — A Morris County elementary school teacher has resigned after she was slammed online for her comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Elizabeth Clark, a fifth-grade math and social studies teacher at Katherine D. Malone Elementary School, officially resigned Tuesday at the Rockaway Township’s BOE meeting.

Screenshots show that Clark commented on a Sept. 10 social media post regarding Kirk’s assassination, writing “Some people have to die - buh bye.”

Several social media users called Clark out on her comments, tagging Rockaway Township and school officials. Others demanded that she be fired from her position at the school.

Rockaway School District Policy 3282 states, “When using personal social networking sites, school staff members…Shall not use social networking sites to post any materials which promote violence.”

A number of residents brought their concerns to the Board of Education at the Tuesday meeting.

“Public assassination and celebrating it is detrimental to the children,” one resident told the Board. “We don’t know what this teacher is indoctrinating in the classroom. I think people are worried about that. We don’t want to raise our kids around somebody that is pro-murder… I have never heard of a teacher in this system ever do this.”

Other residents questioned the Board’s transparency standards, comparing this matter with the controversy of Katherine A. Dwyer Elementary School Principal Michael McGovern dressing as President Donald Trump on School Spirit Day earlier this year. At that point, the district released a statement saying the situation was being handled internally.

No such statement was released regarding the controversy behind Clark’s comment, according to several Rockaway residents.

The Board of Education attorney advised board members not to answer any of the questions asked during the meeting’s public comment section, although Board President Aaron Tomasini provided the following statement on behalf of the board toward the end of the meeting:

“The Rockaway Township Board of Education has been notified of concerning social media posts involving a staff member. We want to be clear, the safety, well-being, and trust of our students, families, and staff remain of our highest priority. The matter is being addressed promptly and in line with district policies as well as state law. Because this incident involved a personnel issue, the board is, and was, not able to provide additional details. We understand that situations like this can create stress and uncertainty. To support our school community, counseling and support services are available in all of our schools, and our staff are prepared to assist anyone who needs it. We again, all as the Board, thank our community for its trust and collaboration as we work together to keep our schools safe, supportive, and welcoming for all students.”

The board later confirmed during the meeting that Clark had resigned. Her resignation was finalized in a late-added agenda item that approved her resignation.

Clark told the Daily Record that her decision to resign came after she was put on administrative leave on Sept. 11.

“I resigned because I feared for my safety," Clark told The Daily Record. "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."

Fallout From Charlie Kirk Comments

Social media comments regarding the assassination of the controversial figure have resulted in dismissals, firings, and resignations across the country and state.

A Rider University Professor was fired after her Facebook comments about Charlie Kirk drew criticism and led to threats against the school. Read more here.

A Union County teacher is now under review by Clark school officials for their comments about Kirk’s death. Read more here.

An Ocean County school district is also reviewing its staff's social media following Kirk's death. Read more here.

A Bergen County doctor recently resigned after a nurse reported his reaction to the assassination of Kirk. Read more here.