The Kennebunk High School health teacher who drew public backlash when he posted that he hoped Charlie Kirk would “rest in hell” just hours after the conservative commentator was assassinated during a peaceful debate event in Utah last month gave notice earlier this month that he’ll be leaving his job at the school.
[RELATED: Some Maine Teachers Appear to Celebrate Assassination of Commentator Charlie Kirk…]
“Dude openly supports an active genocide and you want prayers? Dude is openly racist, transphobic, is the face of hate rhetoric and misinformation and you want me to be sad? Dude defends school shootings and says ’empathy is weakness’ and you want me to feel bad,” said teacher Richard Klatt in a social media post.
“Karma will come for everyone in this life or the next one. Rest in hell Charlie Kirk,” he added.
According to Seacoastonline, Klatt sent a resignation letter to Kennebunk Superintendent Martin Grimm on October 1.
“I hereby resign from my position at KHS, effective immediately on October 1st, 2025. Thank you for the opportunity and I wish you and KHS nothing but success in the future,” the resignation letter reportedly said.
Grimm reportedly accepted his resignation when he saw the letter the following day.
The day after the assassination, Grimm notified the community that the school was investigating Klatt’s statements.
On September 25, Grimm reportedly issued a statement to parents, saying that the review was complete and that Klatt would return to the classroom the next day.
Without naming Klatt, Grimm shared an apology written by “the teacher.”
“I want to sincerely apologize for a recent social media post regarding the death of Charlie Kirk that did not reflect the values of our school community,” he said.
“I regret the impact this post has had on our students, families, and broader school community. I hope to rebuild trust and continue focusing on what matters most: supporting a school environment where everyone feels safe, acknowledged, and respected,” he added.
Klatt’s return to teaching didn’t last long before he tendered his resignation. It is not clear why Klatt decided to resign, even after the school seemingly decided to allow him to continue, despite his earlier statements appearing to condone political assassination.
Seacoast Online reached out to Klatt for a comment, but he reportedly did not respond.
