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WISN12: Elkhorn Area School District principal 'falsely accused' of making inappropriate Charlie Kirk comments

The following article appeared on the WISN12 website on Sunday, September 14, 2025.
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ELKHORN, Wis. — The Elkhorn Area School District is clearing the air after they said the West Side Elementary School Associate Principal was falsely accused of making inappropriate comments about the death of Charlie Kirk on Facebook.

"She didn't do anything, she didn't do anything wrong," Jason Tadlock, superintendent of the Elkhorn Area School District, said.

It started Friday when the Associate Principal Cynthia Rehberg was included in a post on X by conservative influencer Ryan Fournier.

In the post, Fournier said Rehberg "celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk's assassination."

The post, which was later deleted, included a photo that showed Rehberg's school employee photo underneath a Facebook post made by Cynthia Irene.

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Tadlock said that the woman who posted it is not Rehberg. He also added that Rehberg does not have Irene as a maiden or middle name.

12 News has also independently confirmed that Rehberg does not have an "Irene" in her name.

"Our tech director very quickly identified who Cynthia Irene's page belonged to, and it is a different individual who lives in a neighboring community," Tadlock said.

The district received 800 voicemails as of Sunday morning from people angered, thinking Rehberg was the one who made the post. 12 News obtained some of the voicemails.

Many of the voicemails demanded that Rehberg be fired. A number of them even included death threats.

Cynthia Rehberg did not want to appear on camera but shared a statement with 12 News.

"As a dedicated associate principal and proud member of the Elkhorn community, I am issuing this statement to address the deeply troubling and false accusations that have been circulating online.

"Unfortunately, a post containing inflammatory comments about Charlie Kirk‘s tragic death was mistakenly attributed to me. That post did not come from my account. I have not made any statements, written or verbal, regarding this tragedy. I have nothing but sympathy for Charlie Kirk‘s family and loved ones during this difficult and painful time, and I would never disparage him or make such statements.

"The false information being shared online is malicious and has caused significant distress. My primary focus remains on serving our students, staff, and community, and providing a safe and supportive educational environment. The claims being spread are completely baseless and have led to hateful commentary directed at the Elkhorn Area School District, as well as threats to the safety of my family and myself. I am appealing to the public to stop the spread of these lies and the resulting harassment. The threats and hateful rhetoric are not only harmful to me and my family, but also to the entire community of Elkhorn.

"I ask for privacy and respect for my family as we navigate this difficult time. My hope is that by setting the record straight, we can put an end to this falsehood and the dangerous behavior it has incited. Thank you to Jason Tadlock, the Elkhorn Area, School District, EASD School Board Members, the Elkhorn community, family and friends for your continued support in helping to clear this misunderstanding," Rehberg wrote in the statement.

Tadlock said classes will go on as scheduled Monday, but the school will have an increased police presence.

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