Image Credit: Charlie Kirk / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Efforts in Sumner County seeking to honor Charlie Kirk have encountered some community scrutiny as officials and residents have expressed concerns over a resolution and a proposal to rename a street.
On Tuesday, the Sumner County School Board unanimously passed a resolution declaring October 14, Kirk’s birthday, as “Charlie Kirk Day of Peaceful Discourse”, extolling Charlie as a “champion of free speech, civil dialogue, and faith”.
While parents have expressed their support for Kirk’s work and legacy, some feel the measure was lacking in transparency as they claim it was added to the board’s agenda last minute and without parental approval.
One mother said, “I support the work the Charlie Kirk was doing, my family does as well. However, transparency was a big thing to him, and it’s a big thing to parents here in the county. If we’re going to set a precedent to try and have unity, then the school board needs to be a little more transparent so that parents can have civil conversations and come to decisions together. Regardless of what side you’re on right now, there are powers that be that aren’t listening, necessarily, to the big picture.”
School board member Steven King responded to the criticism, noting the board did not violate Roberts Rules of Order in adding the measure to the agenda and expressing willingness to have a re-vote on the resolution should citizens desire.
“I welcome bringing this back up for a re-vote with full notice in October to give citizens a chance to make public comments on the record. I voted in favor of this and will likely do so again. The resolution says October 14 is ‘Charlie Kirk Day of Peaceful Discourse’, which is what he was about and was murdered for it. So, I don’t see this as endorsing his political positions but as merely teaching the students the importance of peaceful discourse,” King stated.
A separate proposal from a Sumner County Commissioner to rename a local road from Wolfpack Way to Charlie Kirk Way also drew pushback from school officials and parents alike.
For many, the hesitancy to the change appears to stem mostly from a desire to preserve community pride and heritage, not necessarily a lack of desire to honor Kirk.
Liberty Creek High School Principal Phillip Holt wrote a letter to commissioners voicing his opposition to the proposal and asking them to consider renaming a different street.
“No one’s reached out to us to get feedback,” said Holt. “This isn’t about Charlie Kirk and whether or not we support him and what he stood for; this is just about protecting our campus and our school pride and the culture that we’ve created since we opened.”
He continued, “We didn’t have much to cling to in regards to tradition, we had no history [when the school opened]. Wolfpack Way is the thing that we latched onto. The only thing that’s on this road are Liberty Creek schools; there’s no homes on the road, there’s nothing on the road other than the three schools. So we are literally the only people that it would impact.”
His reasoning apparently struck a chord with residents as more than 200 people responded to Holt’s letter on Facebook, and Sumner County Mayor John Isbell reported his office receiving numerous calls on the issue. He said he did not support the name change for many of the reasons expressed by the community.
But other parents seem to be more concerned with political ramifications. “It would be polarizing, especially with how charged the national politics are, to rename our beloved Wolfpack Way to Charlie Kirk Way. I believe it’s gonna embroil our children in politics, which I think we need to avoid at all costs,” said a mother.
Another parent believes renaming the walkway after “such a controversial figure” could bring “unnecessary evil acts/attention upon our school”. And yet one more believes this time is for reflection and conversation rather than,“pushing an agenda to shape a narrative in our community because they fear the country is turning ‘too blue’ for their comfort.”
Commissioner Mansfield, the proposal’s author, has reiterated the renaming is merely a suggestion and explained the schools’ road has not been adopted by the county, meaning it technically does not have an official name.
“The campus itself is called Liberty Creek, and I cannot think of a more fitting place to honor Charlie Kirk. His entire life’s work was centered on liberty, rooted in faith, courage, and the belief that young people can shape the future of this country. Naming a road ‘Charlie Kirk Way’ at Liberty Creek aligns the name of the campus with ethe very values Charlie stood for, and it would serve as a daily reminder to students and families of the importance of living with conviction, courage, and a love for America’s founding principles,” he elaborated.
On a state level, Rep. Lee Reeves (R-Franklin-District 65), also a candidate in the TN-7 special election, filed a joint resolution on Sept. 16 seeking to designate September 10, 2026, as “Charlie Kirk” day.
The legislation highlights Kirk’s accomplishments as a voice in the conservative movement and free speech advocate and calls him a “gifted orator and debater”.
The resolution will be considered during the 2026 legislative session, scheduled to begin on January 13 of next year.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
One Response
Charlie Kirk is a martyr and the crazy left did that. In a Christian RED state, the opportunity to honor this man who gave his life to keep the dialogue going spotlighting how great our country is, despite the hate rhetoric of the left to destroy our country. Every town, city, county, state and federal agency must honor those who are working to save our country from those who have been working for years on our backs to destroy the USA and states like Tennessee. Those who stand against celebrating our country and those who fight for it should be shamed back under the rock they crawled out from. Charlie treated everyone like a human being; we do not get that same respect from the opposition.