09/27/2025
Text of an email sent by Sumner Schools Director Scott Langford regarding the “Charlie Kirk Resolution” passed by the School Board.
Dear SCS community,
On Tuesday night our school board unanimously adopted a symbolic resolution that has raised a few questions within our school community.
The intention of the symbolic gesture of designating October 14 as “Charlie Kirk Day of Peaceful Civic Discourse” is to encourage everyone in Sumner County to listen, to hear, and to come together through respectful dialogue and mutual understanding in a way that honors the best of America for the future of our kids. Our School Board denounces all the violence and anger we are seeing in national politics and encourages everyone to work together to find a better way forward.
We will not be conducting a specific presentation, lesson, assembly or otherwise alter the normal course of our school day on October 14. The purpose of our Board’s symbolic gesture is to promote discussion of these ideas throughout our community.
Our Board would like to use this moment to promote and inspire thoughtful discussion within our county outside of the school setting. These conversations occur best beyond our classrooms with parental involvement to help teach our students how to listen to and respect differing perspectives.
Our School Board deeply appreciates everyone that has reached out and shared your thoughts or provided feedback on how this can best be accomplished in our school community. Our goal with this resolution was to inspire community discussion and the community has answered the call. Thank you to everyone who has emailed, discussed this on social media or otherwise contacted us and engaged in the ongoing dialogue of how we can learn to respect each other while having differing ideas on topics that we may have strong opinions about.
In the symbolic resolution, the Board offers four ideals to remember and reflect upon on October 14: SCS Resolution
Sumner County Board of Education reaffirms each individual’s right to freedom of speech,
the freedom to assemble together, and the ability to do so safely without threat of harm or acts of violence.Sumner County Board of Education condemns all political and faith-based acts of violence as cowardice that seeks to undermine and destroy our union and inalienable rights.Sumner County Board of Education commits to developing students who understand the commitment to free speech, leadership, and civic commitment that have defined and will continue to define us as a nation.Sumner County Board of Education commits to practicing forgiveness, identifying common ground, and working together over disharmony and disunion.
The full resolution adopted by our Board may be accessed here: SCS October 14 Resolution
In Sumner County, we believe that when we sit at a table and talk we can solve 99% of our problems in a way that honors free speech, mutual respect, and American values. Our students demonstrate this in our schools each day. I also believe the community response to this symbolic day has demonstrated that these principles are alive and well in our community.
I want to thank all of you for caring and supporting our schools and our community. Our students are best served when we work together to teach them to respect each other and to hear and value different perspectives and opinions. I am proud to call Sumner County home.
Scott Langford, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Sumner County Schools
