(The Center Square) – Chesterfield County School Board member Dot Heffron will resign at the end of the year after a social media post about the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
The post, which circulated widely on social media, said, “Call me old fashioned, but I remember when we used to be okay with shooting Nazis.”
Her comments quickly drew criticism from state leaders.
“Let’s be perfectly clear: a school board member suggested it was ok to shoot people for their beliefs,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Monday.
“She must resign immediately. Not tomorrow, not next month, immediately. It is beyond unacceptable for the Chesterfield County School Board to push off this resignation till December. No student, no parent, no teacher nor administrator should be exposed to this violent thinking.”
Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said Heffron “has no place on a school board” and called for her immediate resignation, not at the end of the year.
Attorney General Jason Miyares also condemned political violence and said such remarks are unacceptable from public officials.
Democratic nominee for governor Abigail Spanberger said she condemns any attempts to justify or minimize the murder, adding that “justifying or making light of violence damages the core fabric of our society.”
On Monday, Earle-Sears pressed Spanberger to remove Heffron’s endorsement from her campaign website.
The Virginia Department of Education weighed in as well.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Emily Anne Gullickson issued a statement warning that “celebrating or condoning political violence is unacceptable and has absolutely no place in Virginia’s public schools.”
She said educators or administrators who violate professional standards could face action from the state Board of Education.
The Chesterfield County School Board accepted Heffron’s resignation in a statement Sept. 14, saying it will appoint an interim member until a special election can be held.
The board emphasized that threats of violence and death against Heffron and her family also have no place in civil discourse.
Heffron, who represents the Clover Hill District, was first elected to the board in 2019 and is now serving her second term.
The Center Square reached out to Heffron, Spanberger’s campaign, and Earle-Sears’ campaign for comment.
