TIFS Investigates: A second area public school teacher falls under scrutiny for comments in the wake of political assassination

Marisela Tapia

A teacher at Sonora Middle School in Springdale is under fire after posting a controversial comment on Facebook celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk as "divine justice."

Marisela Tapia becomes the second teacher working for a regional school district who has been taken to task for their remarks following the assassination. Chance Duncan, a STEM/science teacher at Russellville High School, is facing a similar backlash after his remarks earlier in the week: TIFS Investigates: In wake of Charlie Kirk shooting, Russellville STEM teacher grilled for social media comment

The remark by Tapia, which tied Kirk's death to his vocal advocacy for Second Amendment rights, has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with calls mounting for her immediate dismissal from Springdale School District.

Tapia, an English Language Development (ELD) Interventionist at the school, reportedly wrote the comment in a now-deleted Facebook post shortly after Kirk's fatal shooting on September 10 at Utah Valley University.

Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was killed by a single gunshot during his "American Comeback Tour" speech in Orem, Utah, in front of approximately 3,000 attendees. The FBI has released photos of a person of interest and is conducting a nationwide manhunt, describing the incident as a targeted political assassination.

According to screenshots circulating online, Tapia's post mocked the tragedy, stating that Kirk's death was "divine justice" due to his defense of gun rights. The comment quickly drew condemnation from conservative influencers and parents, who argued it was inappropriate for an educator shaping young minds.

"This is who Springdale Public Schools has working with kids," wrote Ryan Fournier, National Chairman of Students for Trump, in a viral X post that has garnered over 2,600 likes and nearly 2,000 reposts as of Friday afternoon. Fournier's post included Tapia's professional photo from the school's Facebook page and directly tagged the district, demanding her termination.

The backlash echoes similar incidents involving educators across the U.S. in the wake of Kirk's death

Sonora Middle School, home of the Spartans, prides itself on fostering a supportive environment for English language learners and diverse student populations in Springdale, a district serving over 23,000 students in northwest Arkansas.

Tapia's role involves supporting immigrant and non-native English-speaking students, making her comment particularly jarring to critics who see it as undermining the school's inclusive values. The school's official Facebook page, which features Tapia in staff spotlights, has not addressed the controversy as of press time.

Springdale School District officials have yet to issue a public statement on Tapia's employment status. Attempts to reach the district for comment were not immediately returned.

However, community members on X and Facebook have flooded the school's pages with messages, including one user who quoted Kirk himself: "You can tell a lot about a person by how they react when someone dies."

Others expressed concern for student safety, questioning whether Tapia's views could influence her classroom.