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Lipscomb Academy, a K-12 private school affiliated with Lipscomb University, is working with students after complaints about how administrators handled efforts to honor conservative activist Charlie Kirk, after he was assassinated.
A Lipscomb Academy administrator, Jesse Savage, enforced a dress code policy asking students to remove the red ties they wore to honor Kirk, according to local news outlet The Tennessean.
“On Sept. 12, when 12-15 students wore red ties with their school uniforms to honor Kirk, Savage asked the students to remove the ties, leading to complaints, according to Lipscomb Academy in a Sept. 26 statement,” The Tennessean reported.
A spokesperson for the school told Fox News Digital that no student was disciplined.
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“To clarify, on Friday, Sept. 12, a small group of Academy students wore red ties to honor Charlie Kirk. While this was out of dress code, they were not disciplined but were asked to remove the ties,” a spokesperson for the academy said. “The morning of the very next school day, Monday, Sept. 15, Academy administrators met with these students to understand their experiences and to support them in finding a meaningful way to honor Charlie. As a result of this meeting, the students were given approval and planned to wear red ties on another day. But, instead they chose to collaborate with the Academy’s team to plan a future chapel focused on being bold and impactful in their faith.”
The Tennessean reported that the academy issued an apology for how it handled the incident.
After parents expressed outrage at Savage for enforcing the dress code policy, many felt the situation worsened when the school promoted the administrator to another position.
The Churches of Christ-affiliated school announced Sept. 25 that Savage would transition from head of school to director of academics for the upper school. A spokesperson told The Tennessean that Savage’s move into the new role was already in progress before the dress code controversy.
“The role of Director of Academics has been in development for over a year, with Dr. Savage expressing interest. Given his expertise, he is well-suited for this senior leadership position,” the academy said in a statement to The Tennessean.
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Lipscomb Academy’s statement did not satisfy parents and other stakeholders, leading to more than two dozen protesters who gathered on Sept. 26 at the school’s front lawn during morning drop-off.
“During morning drop-off Sept 26, demonstrators stood behind police barricades. Across the street was another group on the steps of the school who ushered students in, which included current staff at the academy and other community members,” The Tennessean reported.
Several counterprotesters also gathered in support of Savage, some holding signs reading “Alumni for Savage.”
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TV personality Savannah Chrisley praised the students in a social media post.
“So proud of the brave young men at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville who tried to honor Charlie Kirk’s life only to be silenced, reprimanded, and failed by the very school that should be shaping leaders of courage and conviction,” she wrote. “Your school and faculty didn’t just miss the mark….they betrayed you in a moment that called for faith, unity, and truth.”
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