A large banner featuring the face of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk now hangs prominently outside the US Department of Education’s headquarters in Washington DC, triggering sharp reactions online.
Kirk’s image appears alongside banners of historic education figures such as Catharine Beecher, Booker T. Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr. and Anne Sullivan.
The banners were installed on March 1 and are displayed across the building on Maryland Avenue.
One banner reads: “Empowering our States to tell the Stories of our Heroes in American Education.”
Others reference America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, with slogans such as “Recharting the course toward a brighter future for American education” and “Turning the page to the next 250 years of academic excellence.”
Who was Charlie Kirk?
Charlie Kirk, 31, was a co-founder of the conservative non-profit organisation Turning Point USA, which advocates conservative politics among young people, particularly on college campuses.
A close ally of US President Donald Trump, Kirk was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at a campus event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. A 22-year-old suspect has been charged with aggravated murder and other felonies in connection with his death.
Despite his polarising rhetoric, including contentious remarks about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, abortion and gun laws, Trump and his allies have praised Kirk as a “great American hero” and a “martyr” for freedom. In October, Trump posthumously awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Department defends decision
In a statement, Education Department press secretary Savannah Newhouse said: “We are proud to honor visionary leaders whose contributions have shaped the future of education for generations. Their work reflects Benjamin Franklin’s timeless belief that ‘an investment in knowledge pays the best interest.’”
The statement added that as the US marks a historic 250-year milestone, the moment is meant to encourage educational opportunity and inspire future generations.
Notably, except for Kirk, the other figures featured had long careers as educators, teachers or academics.
Netizens criticise banner
The banner featuring Kirk has sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many questioning his inclusion on a federal education building.
One X user wrote: “He dropped out of community college. Told a ninth grade girl who asked about studying political journalism to forget about learning because she’s going to college to get married. That’s the guy that has a banner on the Department of Education?”
Another commented: “He did drop out of community college, so maybe his picture is what not to grow up to be like. Education matters!!” Critics also pointed out that Kirk had previously called for abolishing the Department of Education, as recently as last year, making his appearance on the building particularly controversial.
The development comes weeks after a large banner of President Trump’s face was unveiled outside the Department of Justice headquarters, signalling what some observers see as an increasingly political tone in federal building displays.
As America approaches its 250th anniversary, the Department of Education says the banners are meant to honour figures who shaped educational discourse.
