By Jordan Wilcox
Assistant Publisher
Seventh-grade English teacher, Sarah Ruegsegger has been suspended from her classroom at Hopkins Middle School after being accused of making inappropriate comments in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
The alleged comments were first brought to light by a concerned mother who spoke to WZZM 13 ON YOUR SIDE. According to her, Mrs. Ruegsegger told her students that “Charlie Kirk deserves to die,” she’s happy about it, and he will “burn in Hell.”
The mother also said that she wished to remain anonymous out of fear for “her family’s safety if she’s publicly identified,” and that although her child isn’t in Mrs. Ruegsegger’s class, she’s concerned for the ones who are.
Following these allegations, Hopkins Public Schools immediately conducted an investigation, which they say reveals a different story. Although they didn’t release her exact comments, in one of three emails to parents, Superintendent Scott VanBonn wrote that Mrs. Ruegsegger did make some unprofessional comments about her personal beliefs, but “there were no comments made that encouraged or supported the use of violence towards anyone for their beliefs. In fact, the investigation suggests Mrs. Ruegsegger denounced violence and murder in all situations at the beginning of this conversation.”
Upon the revelation that her comments weren’t as heinous as the anonymous mother suggested, WZZM clarified their article to state this, and many took to Facebook to bash the mother for blowing everything out of proportion and attempting to tarnish Mrs. Ruegsegger’s reputation. They also questioned why she would even speak on the subject without having a student in the class.
Yet for every person defending Mrs. Ruegsegger, there’s another insisting that the “unprofessional comments” she made were still hateful remarks about Charlie Kirk. In another email to parents, VanBonn stated that the district is adhering to its usual discipline policy, which involves progressive consequences and privacy protections. However, critics argue that isn’t nearly harsh enough. They’re calling for her immediate termination. They maintain that “political views have no place in the classroom,” and warn that they may transfer their children to a different district if an alternative teacher isn’t provided.
One concerned parent even went as far as to create a “Petition to Remove Mrs. Ruegsegger from Hopkins School District.” Within the petition, they declare the following. “Given the recent events involving Mrs. Ruegsegger at Hopkins Middle School and the tragic assassination of political activist Charlie Kirk, our community is deeply shaken. These actions, amongst many, have raised significant concerns about the potential impact on the well-being of our children. We are particularly worried about how these incidents may affect their education and the vulnerable minds that could be swayed by negative influences… It’s crucial that we unite to safeguard the safety, guidance, and positive development of our youth during this challenging period.”
In the meantime, though, the district remains steadfast in bringing Mrs. Ruegsegger back to the classroom. Since her suspension, seventh-grade English has been taught by a consistent substitute teacher, but VanBonn says the district is working on “a structured plan of return for her to ensure a smooth transition for students and staff.”
