Halloween can be a lot of fun for kids and adults. Many schools allow both students and staff to dress up in fun costumes to celebrate the holiday. This year was no different, and with the holiday being on a Friday, it was a great way to kick off the weekend. A group of teachers in Arizona, however, found themselves heavily criticized for their bloody-looking costumes. Although they claim it was innocent, some think the costume mocked the late Charlie Kirk.
A since-deleted photo of math teachers from Vail Unified School District’s Cienega High School math department shows the educators in shirts covered in blood that say, “Problem Solved.” The photos caused fury online with some people who believe the blood splatter on the left side of the shirts was intended to poke fun at the site of Kirk’s fatal gunshot wound.
Many politicians ran with the idea and flooded social media with their thoughts.
“It’s been really disturbing to see teachers across the country glorifying a murder just because they disagreed with the victim,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis shared on X.
Swimmer Riley Gaines also slammed the teachers on X. “Don’t you see? They view you as a problem and they want you DEAD,” she wrote.
Vail School District Superintendent John Carruth quickly clapped back with a letter to parents defending the teachers. He explained in a statement obtained by Fox 10 that the T-shirts were recycled from last year and had nothing to do with Kirk’s death.
“We understand how this image could be misunderstood and taken out of context, especially by people who are not associated with the teachers or the school. We are truly sorry for the hurt or upset it has caused,” the statement reads in part.
“The teachers involved care deeply about their students and this community. Many have served Vail families for years. All of them are committed to protecting children, and none of them would intentionally cause hurt or pain,” Carruth added. “They too are truly sorry that this has caused concerns. The shirts will not be worn again. We appreciate the opportunity to learn from this experience and ask for your grace as we do so.”
After seeing a photo of last year’s teachers, X users wanted to clear the air.
“You unfortunately fell for misinformation. These shirts predate the assassination of Charlie Kirk and were worn last year as well,” one person wrote. “They are not related to this death and were a joke about solving math problems. Their choice to wear them again this year was poor, but it’s not what you are making it to be, Sir.”
Others defended the teachers, asking online trolls to leave them alone.
“It is very out of character for a Vail teacher to do what they are being accused of. The explanation given by the district makes sense. The costume was they put blood, sweat, and tears into solving difficult math problems….and won. Notice there is also dirt on the shirts from rolling around and struggling,” one post on Facebook reads. “Should they have chosen something else- yes. Should it have occurred to one of them that it could be misinterpreted in our current climate- probably. Please stop. We’re better than this. Leave those teachers alone.”
Some don’t want the teachers and district to get off so easily. They want individuals held accountable for their actions.
“Let’s be clear: educators are entrusted with the moral and emotional development of our children. When teachers wear shirts that can be interpreted as celebrating violence—particularly in a climate where political tensions and school safety are already at a breaking point—it sends a chilling message,” another Facebook post reads. “Whether intentional or not, the symbolism of blood-stained clothing paired with the phrase ‘Problem Solved’ is not only tone-deaf, it’s disgraceful.”
This is a tough situation. We may never know whether the teachers intended a political statement, but it’s fair to say the timing wasn’t ideal. Showing up to school with anything bloody on in a time when school shootings and violence are at an all-time high is probably not a great idea. Even though it might be just a joke, you never know who has been affected by violence personally. Instead of wearing them in a school environment, it’s best to just leave those kinds of things for at-home celebrations.
