After Charlie Kirk comments, educators in Fresno area face backlash, repercussions
In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting death, some local educators are facing backlash and job loss for comments they’ve made on social media or in their classrooms after students recorded them and posted the videos.
A Clovis-based educator, a Fresno State lecturer and local community college instructor have all been disciplined or otherwise sanctioned by their employers for comments made about the assassination of the far-right commentator, shot and killed on a Utah campus at a Sept. 10 event.
Barri Brennan, a lecturer at Fresno State, was recently placed on leave for inflammatory comments about Kirk after he was gunned down but prior to confirmation of his death. Brennan was recorded saying, “You want to know what I think? It’s too bad he’s not dead.”
Posts from Clovis public schools educator Elizabeth Houtsinger began circulating online last week, appearing to show her equating Kirk to a “Nazi” before calling him a “terrible human.” She also questioned why there wasn’t similar public outcry following acts of violence against Democratic politicians, Black Americans, and students.
Community members online said that Houtsinger is affiliated with the Association of Clovis Educators, one of two groups working to unionize Clovis teachers.
ACE did not respond to The Bee’s request for comment. Houtsinger also did not respond to a request for comment from The Bee via social media.
While she isn’t listed as a union leader on the ACE website, she said she was serving as a “released time organizer” for the union last year via social media. “Released time” is when someone is given time away from duties to participate in another pursuit.
Clovis Unified spokesperson Kelly Avants confirmed Houtsinger hasn’t been in the classroom for “about two years.”
ACE previously noted Houtsinger has worked in the district for over two decades, but Avants said she “does not currently report to Clovis Unified for work” and is working in an out-of-classroom role with a “third-party company.”
Avants would not say if the district would take action against Houtsinger. The educator’s comments “do not reflect the standards of mutual respect and civility we hold for our Clovis Unified team” and that the situation is being handled “within the confines of personnel laws,” Avants told The Bee.
College of the Sequoias lecturer Shaynon Scheidt was removed from his position after he was recorded saying “I hope every one of his family dies,” according to spokesperson Lauren Fishback.
“On September 12th College Leaders along with Human Resources terminated the faculty from the one class they taught. That class was taken over by a full-time faculty member to assure students did not have a schedule inconvenience,” Fishback said.
Fishback added that Scheidt posed “no physical threat” to students, but the “inappropriate and insensitive nature of the comments were alarming and required immediate attention.”
The Bee attempted to reach Scheidt via social media but was unable to find any accounts he may have.
Scheidt also has been affiliated with Madera Community College. A spokesperson for the State Center Community College District said Scheidt was placed on leave.
This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 2:48 PM.
