Philomath, OR. — Philomath School Board Chair Erin Gudge is under fire after a personal Facebook post drew sharp criticism from community members, prompting public debate and an official statement from the school district. The post was reported on by the popular account Libs of Tik Tok.
In the now-deleted post, Gudge wrote:
“I will not mourn someone who spewed hatred in the face of grieving mothers the day their children were murdered. I will not mourn someone who would have preferred my own child not exist. I will not mourn someone who was teaching young people that empathy is weak and that civil rights should not be afforded to all.
I feel deeply sad for his children.
I do not mourn him.”
Screenshots of the post quickly circulated online, sparking outrage and calls for Gudge’s resignation. In response, Gudge issued a lengthy clarification emphasizing that her remarks were personal and not representative of the district or board. “It was never my intention to suggest I was rejoicing in anyone’s death. That interpretation is painful to hear. I’ve experienced profound personal loss this year, and I carry a deep well of empathy,” she said in the statement.
The school district published the following statement on their Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BWGzgjEQ6
Philomath School District is aware of concerns raised regarding a personal statement made by an elected board member. We want to alert the school community that as elected officials and not district employees, the district does not hire or dismiss school board members. Board members speak for themselves, and their individual views do not represent the district, its values, or its operations. Community members who wish to pursue changes in board membership may do so through established democratic processes such as recall or election.
The district’s responsibility is to uphold board policy, state and federal law and to maintain a safe, supportive learning environment for all students. Providing such a learning environment for our students has always been the focus! We recognize that anytime violence occurs, even outside of our district, it will impact our community here in Philomath. That makes it even more important that we work together to ensure our schools remain calm, collected places of respect and learning. We ask everyone to help make this possible by avoiding speculation or misinformation, modeling respectful conduct online and in public, engaging through established public processes, and refraining from threats or intimidation.
Thank you for your continued support of Philomath schools. Together, we can keep our focus on students’ safety, well-being, and success at the start of this school year.
The controversy comes at the start of a new school year, with tensions high following acts of violence nationally that have resonated within the Philomath community and broader area.
Philomath News first reported on the backlash, noting that community members have voiced a mix of criticism and calls for restraint, with some urging the public to consider context before rushing to judgment (Philomath News).
Gudge remains chair of the Philomath School Board.
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She has every right to express her personal opinion. Probably because I agree with her. What I have found out is that people on both sides of the aisle are hearing different stories about Charlie Kirk. No wonder, h was a duplicitous man. On one hand he could advocate for cooperation and kindness. On the other hand he did advocate for questioning the mental capacity of black people, also against LGBT, etc and felt that the answer to gun violence was more guns, even in schools.