A North Carolina student reaches a $95,000 settlement after her school district allegedly painted over her “spirit rock” tribute that referenced Charlie Kirk. According to multiple reports, the student, a high school junior at Ardrey Kell High School, sought and received permission to write messages on the campus forum known as a spirit rock. The messages included a patriotic slogan (“Freedom 1776”) and a religious reference (“Live Like Kirk—John 11:25”). After the tribute appeared, the school later painted over it, and the student sued, arguing this action infringed on her free-speech rights and amounted to retaliation. The Washington Times and other outlets describe the dispute as a free-speech case connected to the school district’s decision to overwrite the student’s message. Fox News reports that the student ultimately secures the $95,000 settlement. The settlement resolves the lawsuit, and the coverage does not describe any further penalties or admissions of wrongdoing by the district.