A trophy given to the winner of a state high school debate competition will be named after Charlie Kirk, the national conservative leader who was fatally shot last month during an appearance at a Utah university.
In a memo Friday to school superintendents about the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas announced the naming of the trophy “to honor his (Kirk’s) legacy.”
Lawmakers created the program in 2020.
“The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk underscores the importance of civic dialogue rooted in respect and understanding. Mr. Kirk's example as a champion of open civic discourse reminds us that disagreement can and must remain peaceful, principled and constructive,” Kamoutsas wrote.
Republicans throughout the country — including President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis — have bestowed honors on Kirk, the founder of the group Turning Point USA, after his death.
The trophy will be awarded to the winner of the statewide debate championship during an April competition at New College of Florida in Sarasota.
According to the memo, 330 teams from Florida’s 67 counties are participating in the debate program. The program helps “practice civil discourse, sharpen their reasoning, and grow in the civic virtues that sustain our constitutional republic,” Kamoutsas’ memo said.
