LYNDEN, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
The Lynden School District is establishing Charlie Kirk Day to honor the slain conservative activist.
Kirk was shot while speaking at a college event in Utah last week — a moment the board said highlights the need for peaceful civic engagement.
The new observance will fall on the Monday before Sept. 10 each year.
“On Charles James Kirk Day, the Lynden School Board and the district will stand in opposition to political violence of any kind,” the district wrote. “It is the recommendation of the Lynden School Board that observation of this day be led by students where practical.”
Lynden School District’s decision hopes to encourage student debate clubs, saying they help build listening, reasoning, and leadership skills.
“Respectful dialogue is a cornerstone of a healthy democratic society, and schools play a vital role in teaching students how to engage in civil discourse on a local level,” the district wrote.
The board hopes students will take the lead in marking the day.
Suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting likely to face charges Tuesday before first court hearing
Prosecutors are preparing to file a capital murder charge Tuesday against the Utah man who authorities say held a “leftist ideology” and may have been “radicalized” online before he was arrested in the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Charges against 22-year-old Tyler Robinson are expected to come ahead of the first court hearing since he was accused last week of shooting Kirk, a conservative activist credited with energizing the Republican youth movement and helping Donald Trump win back the White House in 2024.
Investigators have been piecing together evidence, including a rifle and ammunition engraved with anti-fascist and meme culture messaging, found after the shooting Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem. Kirk, who co-founded of the Arizona-based conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was speaking at the university on one of his many campus visits where he relished debating just about everyone.
Prosecutors in Utah County are considering several charges against Robinson, the most serious being aggravated murder because it could bring the death penalty if there is a conviction.
Once charges are filed, Robinson is scheduled to appear on camera for a virtual court hearing. He has been held without bail since his arrest, and it remained unclear whether he has an attorney.
While authorities say Robinson hasn’t been cooperating with investigators, they do say his family and friends have been talking. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said over the weekend that those who know Robinson say his politics shifted left in recent years and he spent a lot of time in the “dark corners of the internet.”
Contributing: The Associated Press
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