June 15, 2026
High school rewards teacher who said Charlie Kirk was ‘garbage’ with yearbook honors
Dr. Alex McFarland: ‘The brainwashed students who chose to dedicate their yearbook to this Marxist ideologue demonstrate the effectiveness of the Left’s indoctrination campaign in America’s public schools’
GREENSBORO, N.C. — A Rhode Island high school teacher who sparked outrage after referring to slain Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk as “garbage” has been honored in the school’s 2026 yearbook.
Kirk had joined youth, culture, and religion expert Dr. Alex McFarland on stage in Myrtle Beach on August 21, 2025, for McFarland’s Speaker Series, “Conversations That Matter,” just before he was assassinated on Sept. 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University during his “American Comeback Tour.” Shortly after Kirk’s murder, a social studies teacher at Barrington High School in Rhode Island posted a video online saying that Kirk “hated the LGBTQ community” and “hated women’s rights.” Benjamin Fillo, who was placed on administrative leave over the posting, said that Kirk “thought he proved how tough he was with his words… What a piece of garbage. Look what happens… Bye, Charlie!”
“Belief in debate and disagreement has been an enduring American value that is now almost absent from our public schools in favor of totalitarian conformity,” says McFarland.
“The brainwashed students who chose to dedicate their yearbook to this Marxist ideologue demonstrate the effectiveness of the Left’s indoctrination campaign in America’s public schools. Fillo returned to teaching despite having violated the school district’s social media policy. His smears against Kirk and the slap on the wrist he got reveal the truth about how society today can be so quick to excuse and forgive blatant attacks on conservatives.
“By falsely claiming that Kirk ‘hated the LGBTQ community’ and ‘hated women’s rights,’ this liar rewrote what Charlie Kirk actually said and did for this nation, which was to reestablish honest campus discussions about issues. His work, carried out in the Christian spirit of truth in love, was actively changing the face of higher education. In fact, Charlie was gaining so much prominence that he may very well have gone on to become president one day. It’s up to us to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy and continue his important work as we fight to change the course of this nation.”
The 2026 Alex McFarland Speaker Series, “Conversations That Matter,” is getting underway this Saturday in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. One of the topics discussed will be the Left’s increasing intolerance.
“How can anyone condone a high school teacher’s celebrating a public figure’s murder for merely debating and talking?” McFarland said. “Charlie discussed a myriad of topics in his life, including several with me one-on-one. We did not always agree. In fact, when Charlie spoke at our ‘Conversations That Matter’ series last August, he and I had a spirited debate on a topic just before we took the stage. We learned each other’s viewpoint, debated the details, and were better for having had the discussion. We must encourage debate and discussion, not violence and name-calling. That a high school teacher would encourage murder as the outcome for a debater with which he disagreed highlights the worst of public discourse.”
“Conversations That Matter” will encourage Christians “to persevere to the end,” and to fight the movements and the social currents enticing Christians to walk away from the faith. “Conversations That Matter” will keep Christians well-informed, foster critical thinking, and equip them for overcoming.
“Attendees will gain a better understanding of how to think critically, pray for guidance and thrive, knowing what they believe and why,” McFarland says. “These three events, beginning on June 20, will uplift, equip and encourage Christians and new believers to pursue truth and know what to do with it.”
More information and tickets for the three “Conversations That Matter” events on June 20, August 8 and October 3 are available at https://alexmcfarland.com/conversations/.
Important ticket note: Tickets are paid upfront, but your ticket price will be refunded when your ticket is scanned at the event. That means it is free if you attend, but there is a charge if you reserve a ticket and do not come.
Alex McFarland currently co-hosts “Exploring the Word” on the American Family Radio Network, airing daily on nearly 200 radio stations across the U.S. He is also the host of the “Alex McFarland Show,” which airs weekly on NRB TV and YouTube. The “Alex McFarland Show” podcast is available here.
McFarland and theologian Bert Harper, veteran co-hosts of the nationally syndicated broadcast “Exploring the Word,” are proud to announce their newest book, “100 Bible Questions and Answers on Prophecy and the End Times.” Available now, the book concisely answers biblical questions about God, Scripture, Christian Living, and more. A follow-up to their previous work, “100 Bible Questions and Answers for Families,” this book promises to guide you through some of the most fascinating and frequently misunderstood topics in Christianity: end-times prophecy and life in the everlasting new creation.
Alex McFarland has authored or co-authored more than 21 books, including the newly released 100 Bible Questions & Answers on Prophecy and the End Times,” “10 Issues that Divide Christians,” “The God You Thought You Knew,” “10 Answers for Skeptics,” “10 Answers for Atheists,” “The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask About Christianity,” published by Focus on the Family, and more.
McFarland is a frequent guest on Fox News and has been interviewed by other media outlets including Fox and Friends, Focus On The Family radio, NPR’s All Things Considered, The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, CBN, La Vie (France), and various news outlets including CBS, FOX, NBC, CSPAN, SRN, and the Associated Press (AP) wire service. He is a contributing writer in print and electronic media, including LA Times, Boston Herald, OK- Celebrity News Magazine, Christianity Today, Charisma, On Mission, Billy Graham’s Decision Magazine and more.
Learn more about Alex McFarland Ministries at its website, Facebook and Instagram pages, or X feed.
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To schedule interviews with Alex McFarland, contact Hamilton Strategies, media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096 ext. 105, or Richard Jefferson, rjefferson@hamiltonstrategies.com.
