“Are You Ready To Motherf*&%$g” Die?” Just A Sample Of What Arizona Teachers Are Facing After Their Halloween Costume Is Mistakenly Believed To Mock Charlie Kirk’s Assassination

Summary

---

Podcast Summary: "Are You Ready To Motherf*&%$g Die?” — Arizona Teachers, Halloween, and Outrage Gone Viral

Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Date: November 11, 2025

---

Overview

This episode explores a highly publicized incident in Arizona where a group of high school math teachers was wrongly accused of mocking the assassination of conservative figure Charlie Kirk with their Halloween costumes. The misunderstood photo triggered massive online outrage, threats, and even calls for the teachers' termination. Amy Robach and guest co-host Ed Helms break down how misinformation spread, why cooler heads failed to prevail, and what this episode reveals about the dangers of political panic and internet pile-ons.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Outrage Begins: A Photo and its Fallout

• Incident Recap:

  • Math teachers at an Arizona high school wore “zombie” costumes for Halloween, including shirts with math puns (“problem solved”) and fake blood.
  • The photo was posted online and misinterpreted by some as mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
  • Resulted in campus security upgrades, threats, and calls for mass firings.

• [03:16] Ed Helms: “A group of teachers is getting threats... Even a state official is demanding that this group of teachers be fired. And get this. All because everybody is wrong.”

• Amy’s Take ([03:59]):

  • Calls it “appalling,” a “sad statement of where we are in this country... dangerous to jump to conclusions.”

2. How the Story Spread and Escalated

• Turning Point USA’s Role:

  • TPUSA spokesperson Andrew Colvitt posted that the teachers “deserve to be famous and fired,” amassing 10 million views ([06:23] Amy Robach).
  • He later acknowledged the district’s explanation but continued to accuse teachers of mocking Kirk.

• Attempts to Correct Misinformation:

  • The district released a statement and photographic evidence that the costumes pre-dated Kirk’s death, but many online refused to believe it, claiming the “proof” was AI-generated ([09:15] Amy Robach).

• Ed Helms’s Frustration ([09:51]):

  • “At some point you have to believe something in front of you and not just the lane you have chosen.”

3. Consequences for Innocent Teachers

• Teachers’ Real Political Leanings:

  • Several teachers in the photo actually supported Charlie Kirk and Trump, according to anonymous sources ([10:40] Amy Robach).

• The Death Threats and Fear:

  • “Half the teachers in that photo didn’t show up for the first couple days. They were so scared to come to school. There were threats and rumors that snipers were going to be taking out students, taking out teachers.” ([18:07] Amy Robach)

4. Political Reactions & Amplification

• Key Public Figures Escalate Tensions:

  • Arizona State Rep. Rachel Keshel called for all teachers to be fired, disregarding evidence ([11:54] Amy Robach).
  • Conservative commentators and Utah Senator Mike Lee published teachers’ names and phone numbers, encouraging harassment ([13:10], [20:01]).
  • Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis posted the original photo claiming the teachers “glorified murder,” then posted the correction but refused to clarify his stance ([15:57] Amy Robach).

• [15:38] Ed Helms: “They’re telling them to be outraged, and they’re telling them to go after these people. And they’re telling them that it’s okay to do so because we are interpreting what they did as completely wrong.”

5. Reflections on Modern Outrage Culture

• Double Down, Never Apologize:

  • Even when presented with proof, critics refused to retract or believe corrections.
  • “You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.” ([11:36] Amy Robach)

• Impact on Political Discourse:

  • The hosts lament the erosion of grace and willingness to hear the other side.
  • [16:52] Ed Helms: “And that’s chaos in any institution. Don’t believe it because we say don’t believe it.”

6. The Costumes’ True Origin: Irony and Tragedy

• Original (Innocent) Intention:
  • The math teachers reused last year’s costumes to save money; their initial idea (“Gen Alpha, 6, 7”) would have cost more ([25:46] Amy Robach).
  • “They actually won a costume contest with those same T-shirts the year before.” ([28:48] Amy Robach)

7. Plea for Empathy, Caution, and Leadership

• School’s Response:

  • The superintendent called for genuine, face-to-face conversation rather than online attacks ([28:48] Amy Robach).
  • [29:51] Amy Robach quoting the superintendent: “This horrific loop of flinging poo and insults at others who we think disagree with us will never be broken online... It’s only going to be broken by stepping out and meeting our neighbors.”

• Ed Helms’s Closing Message ([31:32]):

  • “I do this all the time. Just give it a beat before your initial emotion is outrage. Don’t lead with that... Maybe you’ll find out there’s no justification for your initial outrage.”

---

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On misinterpreting evidence ([09:15] Amy Robach):
  “Even when they did and posted a picture of those same teachers wearing those same T-shirts from the year before, people said, don’t believe it, it’s AI. It’s a fake.”

• On escalation and political violence ([13:32] Ed Helms):
  “We have just exposed, we have put a target, literal target on the backs of teachers and giving you directions to find them.”

• On responsibility and leadership ([18:53] Ed Helms):
  “We got to be big enough to say oops and understand your responsibility as leaders to bring the temperature down.”

• Superintendent’s wisdom ([29:51] Amy Robach):
  “This horrific loop of flinging poo and insults... will never be broken online... only by stepping out and meeting our neighbors.”

• Call for reflection ([31:32] Ed Helms):
  “Just give it a beat before your initial emotion is outrage... a quick Google search and you can find out. Oh, that’s not what I thought it was.”

---

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Incident Overview & Outrage Spark: 03:16–05:26
• Spread of Misinformation and Attempts to Correct: 05:26–09:51
• Consequences for Teachers; Fear and Threats: 10:40–18:53
• Political Figures Fan the Flames: 11:54–20:01
• Costumes’ Origin and Irony: 25:46–28:48
• Reflections and Takeaways: 28:48–End

---

Tone & Style

• The episode’s mood is incredulous, urgent, and at times despairing about the state of public discourse.
• Both hosts maintain a conversational, passionate, and sometimes exasperated tone as they try to unpack the madness of the situation.
• The show ends with a heartfelt plea for critical thinking, grace, and responsible leadership.

---

For listeners concerned about misinformation, political outrage, and the real-world consequences of online pile-ons, this episode is an urgent and timely listen.

Transcript

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Lenovo Pro Advertiser]

Pro drivers live for race day, but for small business owners, every day is race day. That's why going pro with Lenovo Pro matters. One on one advice. IT solutions and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra processors. Keep your business on the right track. Business goes pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for [e-mail] Pro Lenovo Lenovo.

[Kal Penn]

Hey audiobook lovers. I'm Kal Penn.

[Ed Helms]

I'm Ed Helms.

[Kal Penn]

Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.

[Ed Helms]

Each week we sit down with your.

[Lenovo Pro Advertiser]

Favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very.

[Ed Helms]

Special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from audible.

[Kal Penn]

Listen to earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow irsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app today.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Tired of spills and stains on your sofa? Wash away your worries with Anabe. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out where designer quality meets budget friendly prices. That's right, sofas start at just $699. Enjoy a no risk experience with pet friendly stain resistant and changeable slipcovers made with performance fabric Experience cloud like Comfor Comfort with high resilience foam that's hypoallergenic and never needs fluffing. The sturdy steel frame ensures longevity and the modular pieces can be rearranged anytime. Shop washablesofas.com for early Black Friday savings up to 60% off site wide, backed by a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you're not absolutely in love, send it back for a full refund. No return, shipping or restocking fees. Every penny back Upgrade [e-mail] Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Pandora Jewelry Advertiser]

Make their holiday unforgettable with a gift that says it all from Pandora Jewelry. A gift that tells a story and shows you know theirs that doesn't just sparkle but speaks from new festive charms to forever rings and personal engravings. And this season, give a gift that's perfectly theirs. Whether you're shopping for a shiny surprise for your significant other, matching bracelets to celebrate your friendship, or a heartfelt gift for a family member. Say more this holiday season with Pandora. Shop [e-mail] or visit your closest Pandora store.

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

No, it's not too soon to start holiday shopping. Ulta Beauty's early Black Friday event is happening now through November 22nd. Shop $10 beauty minis from brands like Mac and too faced, take 30% off Lancome and Touchland fragrances and body mists. With new offers dropping every week, our associates can help you find the perfect gifts. Head into Ulta Beauty today to shop our early Black Friday event. Ulta Beauty Gifting happens here.

[Ed Helms]

Hey, there, folks. It is Tuesday, November 11, and a group of teachers is getting threats. They've had to update security on their school campus. Even a state official is demanding that this group of teachers be fired. And get this. All because everybody is wrong. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and tj. All of this happening, folks, and robes because a mistake was made. Mistakenly identified them as doing something wrong. It catches fire, goes everywhere, and nobody wants to come back. And now admit we made a mistake. We apologize.

[Amy Robach]

This story is appalling. And the more you get into the details of it, it's such a sad statement of where we are in this country when it comes to politics, when it comes to understanding, when it comes to keeping an open mind, giving people grace, and recognizing that maybe it's dangerous to jump to conclusions.

[Ed Helms]

This is. And you'll hear these details. Really, Rhodes, I had not seen this make a lot of headlines before now, and you're the one that brought it to my attention. So I'm not sure how many people are aware of what's going on, but this is happening out in Arizona in particular, and it's connected to the death of Charlie Kirk.

[Amy Robach]

That's right. So a group of math teachers at an Arizona high school decided to put together a Halloween costume. And that Halloween costume that was worn by this group of math teachers led to a teacher saying he was so scared, he hid in his bathroom to cry so his wife wouldn't see him cry. There was extra sheriff's deputies on campus all week. The front office received phone calls with people yelling things like, are you ready to mother effing Die Hard? Over a Halloween costume? Because someone saw a picture of these teachers that was posted to the school's Facebook page and said they are mocking Charlie Kirk.

[Ed Helms]

All right, to be clear, the shirts folks look like and the makeup, they're dressed kind of like zombies. All right? They're just kind of dirty shirts. They say problem solved on it. And it has blood stain for the most part, from what I can tell. Robes on the left side of the shirt on the person's left, the left arm, if you will, is what they look like. So there's supposed to be some kind of zombie. These are math teachers. So problem solved was supposed to be a nod to math problems. That is what the shirt looked like. It was posted somewhere and it was misinterpreted.

[Amy Robach]

Correct.

[Ed Helms]

Excuse me, it was interpreted absolutely wrongly and then spread and caught fire. When you're talking about we have seen robes, people fired and threatened and etc. For mocking the death of Charlie Kirk. So what happened? Charlie Kirk's own organization, I think robes probably are the ones that really got this going.

[Amy Robach]

That is correct. So this Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Colvitt, he tweeted that the teachers in that photo deserve to be famous and fired. Now, he since deleted that post, but it accrued nearly 10 million views.

[Ed Helms]

Damage done.

[Amy Robach]

Damage done. And, and here's to me, what even bothered me the most when the district, the school district realized what was happening. The school principal talks about waking up to a flood of messages and being mortified because this, of course, wasn't the intent of the Halloween costume and they were trying to do damage control. So they put out a statement saying this had nothing to do with Charlie Kirk. This, our teachers enjoying Halloween. They were wearing those T shirts in the spirit of a zombie run that the school was putting on later in the day. So they were being zombies and they thought they had a math joke, so they put that out there. And then here's the really egregious part, I believe in Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Colvitt then took the district statement, posted it, and said he'd be relieved if they didn't intend to reference Kirk, but that he didn't think everyone in the photo was innocent. And he said teachers have been among the worst offenders of mocking and celebrating Charlie's assassination. So he kept it going even though the district gave a very innocent explanation as to what the photo actually was showing.

[Ed Helms]

I don't know what to do. I know, though, everybody connected in that entire organization is going to be hurting for quite some time for what happened to Charlie Kirk. I just wish a cooler and more sensible head could prevail and to give a little grace that it's possible that initially the furor, the, the, the, the outrage you had was wrong because you didn't have all the information. And that's okay. But instead of we didn't acknowledge that, we have to say, yeah, okay, but still, I bet some of them were, ha. And so you're still assigned. You're actually doubling now you have it all and you're doubling down on these being people who are the death of this man that is this. We can't. We're getting. We're never going to get anywhere. This is so upsetting that we just can't take a beat. They're getting death threats. If you want to say they were stupid and should have maybe assumed, I might start with that conversation, but I'd still push back, say, hey, you got on white T shirts, bold letters on it, looks like some blood down one side.

[Amy Robach]

Hmm.

[Ed Helms]

Maybe somebody might. Hey, just a heads up, somebody maybe, if you want to make that argument. But robes after hearing. Oh, have we even said the big part? They can prove these were the same damn Halloween costumes from last year.

[Amy Robach]

That's correct. And even when they did and posted a picture of those same teachers wearing those same T shirts from the year before, people said, don't believe it, it's AI. It's a fake. So even when you have photographic evidence proving that this was not related to Charlie Kirk, it couldn't have been if they had these T shirts and wore them the year prior. And still people say they faked the timestamp. It's a fake photo. So you can't even convince people that it isn't connected when you have photographic evidence that it is not connected.

[Ed Helms]

I pray everybody listening, we gotta do better and give. At some point you have to believe something in front of you and not just the lane you have chosen. We are so sure that if this is happening on this side and this is happening on this side, then I have to stick with my group. There's no way I could concede that I was wrong or concede something to the other side. I have to double, triple, quadruple down. And this is getting people hurt. These teachers are being threatened. Who knows how far it's going to go? But there is proof that they, fine, made a mistake and shouldn't have worn them this year.

[Amy Robach]

Maybe it was in poor taste and.

[Ed Helms]

Let'S go with that. But we have to give teachers grace when we see. We know they did not buy these last year in anticipation of an assassination. They've had these shirts for a year.

[Amy Robach]

And look, most of these teachers who are in this photo are not comfortable enough putting their names out with any sort of commentary. But we have heard anonymously they have spoken and said several of the teachers in that photo are Charlie Kirk supporters. Several of the teachers in that photo voted for Trump. So they were trying to say, trust us, we had zero mal intent and we certainly aren't against Kirk or the Republican Party.

[Ed Helms]

Is that message ever going to be amplified, louder than those first 10 million likes or whatever it was, spreading this story? Are you ever going to be loud enough? And even if you are Is the response going to be the same one we're getting from Turning Point?

[Amy Robach]

No.

[Ed Helms]

I don't know.

[Amy Robach]

Well, you can't take the toothpaste out of the. Out of the. Out of the.

[Ed Helms]

Put it back in the tube.

[Amy Robach]

You can't put it back in the tube. Right.

[Ed Helms]

You can. Culver had an. An option of doing so say hey folks heads up. Need you to know this but this wasn't the most egregious one to me. There is a state official there robes. This was the one when I saw it. Like you have a different public responsibility.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. Arizona State Representative Rachel Keshel. She's a Republican from Tucson and the first thing she posted on X when she saw the district's response she saw the fact that there was another photo. She said I am not buying this BS story one bit. And she even said her daughter graduated from that very high school the year before and her daughter told her those teachers never wore those Halloween costumes the year before.

[Ed Helms]

That's what she's going with. Right. So she knows better. And the principal is lying. The photo from last year is a timestamp. All of these things are AI So what do we do? We. We believe a a kid who was in high school there who maybe heard possibly something and they. She. She. She saw every and remembers every Halloween costume from every teacher last year is her basis. This was my problem with the statement from this state representatives. I must firmly reject any attempts to downplay this incident as mere math problem solving attire recycled from last year. So what she said is okay fine. Even if it is from last year you still shouldn't be wearing that.

[Amy Robach]

Correct?

[Ed Helms]

Like there is no answer for this other than you all are wrong because we say so. There is no room for conversation.

[Amy Robach]

She wants all of these teachers fired. She is demanding that they all be fired. And look, some folks took it even further. A conservative commentator on X posted the photo alongside the names and phone numbers of all the teachers. Guess how many views that post received. 20 million views. Views.

[Ed Helms]

Okay. Political violence. Right.

[Amy Robach]

And this is the irony of all ironies in an effort to be upset and try to point the finger at people who incite political violence. People on the other side are inciting political violence.

[Ed Helms]

But the the claim will be we just want you to hound these people, get them fired. Right in make sure you hurt their businesses. That that's the idea of it. That's to think that some people think it just stops there. I what is the what we have just exposed. We have put a target, literal target on the backs of teachers and giving you directions to find them.

[Amy Robach]

Correct. Correct.

[Ed Helms]

That is what we have done. All because we can't just simply say, you know what? We didn't have all the information. We got it wrong. Find it in poor taste still. But these teachers obviously were not trying to mock the death of Charlie Kirk.

[Amy Robach]

No.

[Ed Helms]

And how many are there in that picture?

[Amy Robach]

I don't know.

[Ed Helms]

Are we talking upwards of 10?

[Amy Robach]

It looked like around 10. Yes. I didn't count.

[Ed Helms]

But that's a lot of people to get together and say, hey, let's play this really poor joke.

[Amy Robach]

And this would have come weeks after they already saw the firings, the condemnation and the repercussions of so many other prominent folks who misstepped, misspoke, said things they shouldn't have, tweeted things they shouldn't have. So they already saw the fallout from all of that in the days immediately after Charlie Kirk's assassination. So why then would they do that after having all that now? It doesn't actually even make sense. And, you know, we talked about some of the reaction. This wasn't just from, yes, it's very specifically, probably got turned up by Turning Point usa. But when you have the Florida governor weighing in, when you have a senator from Utah weighing in, when you have a founder of a political group for students that has a million followers weighing in, these are all prominent names who have a lot of followers who people believe and rely on for real and true information.

[Ed Helms]

They're telling them what to do. They're telling them to be outraged, and they're telling them to go after these people. And they're telling them that it's okay to do so because we are interpreting what they did as completely wrong. And they deserve no grace. Also don't explain. They don't even deserve us listening to their explanation. That is how debate is taking place in this country.

[Amy Robach]

You know what's fascinating to me? So I mentioned Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. He initially point posted on X that these teachers were glorifying a murder. Then he later posted the district statement, of course, explaining what the photo actually was. And he said, people can, quote, decide for themselves. And then when reporters have followed up and said, hey, now that you know more about the story, you know, what do you. What do you have to say about the situation? And his representatives referred them to his comments on Twitter and he refused to say anything else. And then we have. I think one of the scary things is when you have representatives and people in power and places of respect when they are calling into question the Integrity of a school district, a principal, and saying everyone's lying to cover it up. It's. It's just sewing these seeds of complete and total distrust in anyone and everyone.

[Ed Helms]

And that's chaos in any institution. Don't believe it because we say don't believe it. This isn't, this is just an unreasonable story to me now, Ro. It's unreasonable and it's highlights how we have debate in this country. You know, we hate. We go out of our way to make sure we don't criticize people, have their feelings on whatever side or the other. And I'm sure that maybe they were initially upset or maybe something in the back of their mind things right, that they were trying to mock this person that they loved and the death of this person that they love. I tried to leave some room for that. This is just not one of those situations where it's up for interpretation necessarily. We know they did not put these outfits together to mock the death of Charlie Kirk. Like we know that. And there's reasonable doubt even of what the other side is saying. That's enough for us to pump the brakes and not send armies of outraged emotional people their way. I hate this story so much. This is devastating about our political discourse. I hate this.

[Amy Robach]

You know, this is a small town in Arizona, a tight knit community. And when you start to read the different reports, I mean, all last week the students were scared to go to school. Half the teachers in that photo didn't show up for the first couple of days. They were so scared to come to school. There were threats and rumors that snipers were going to be taking out students, taking out teachers. In a, in. In an era of, of political violence and school shootings and all of the just unbelievably violent vitriol we have, can we take a step back and recognize that these folks are scared to go to work? Kids are scared to go to school. The learning process is being disrupted for.

[Ed Helms]

What they don't seem to care because they think it is a more just cause they have, which is to get these people fired, to draw attention to these people. That school, that school district, send people to their homes for whatever reason. That is justification for what they believe. And what they believe just happens to be wrong. They made a mistake. You didn't have all the information. Like we got to be big enough to say oops and understand your responsibility as leaders to bring the temperature down. The Santas had the information, the state lawmaker has the information, but she still keeps dulling down. Such costumes aren't harmless fun. They normalize the unthinkable political assassination because she won't just say, you know what? These are Arizona citizens. I represent them as well. I'm gonna go have a conversation with them and maybe we can come to a better place. That is leadership, is it not?

[Amy Robach]

Her daughter went to that high school.

[Ed Helms]

She knows these teachers.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, that blows my mind. And we mentioned the conservative commentator who posted the names and phone numbers. Okay, how about a senator, a Republican from Utah? Senator Mike Lee also posted the teachers names and phone numbers and said anyone else think this might be the best advertisement to ever for school choice and homeschooling?

[Ed Helms]

Okay, so are you're telling me now this is what we do? U.S. senator. We ain't got many of them. He's a prestigious job and he is saying this is okay to do this.

[Amy Robach]

It's really hard. It makes me feel sick thinking about where our country is right now. Our government is shut down, folks aren't getting paid. It's incredibly difficult to see that this is still going on in the midst of all of that. So obviously we talked about how the district tried to show that they had a photo proving that this wasn't a Halloween costume based solely on Charlie Kirk's assassination. It had nothing to do with it, and that's because they had worn it the year before. But we know what the math department was actually considering wearing for their Halloween costumes. And when you hear this story, it makes this whole thing feel even more frustratingly senseless. Stupid. And we want you to stay tuned for this part of the story.

[Lenovo Pro Advertiser]

Pro drivers live for race day, but for small business owners, every day is race day. That's why going pro with Lenovo Pro matters. One on one advice. IT solutions and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra Ultra processors. Keep your business on the right track. Business goes Pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for [e-mail] pro.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Let'S be real. Life happens. Kids spill, pets shed and accidents are inevitable. That's why you need a washable sofa that can keep up. Our sofas are fully machine washable inside and out so you can say goodbye to stains and hello to worry free living. Made with liquid and stain resistant fabrics, they're kid proof, pet friendly and built for everyday life. Plus, changeable fabric covers let you refresh your sofa whenever you want. Need flexibility? Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa anytime to fit your space whether it's a growing family room or a cozy apartment. Plus, they're earth friendly and trusted by over 200,000 happy customers get early access to Black Friday pricing starting at just $699. It's time to upgrade to a stress free mess proof sofa. Visit washablesofas.com today and save that's washablesofas.com offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.

[Kal Penn]

Hey audiobook lovers. This week on the podcast I'm sitting down with musician, producer and walking encyclopedia Question Love. We're talking about Mark Ronson's memoir Night how to be a DJ in 90s New York City. All right, like we talked about before, Mark Ronson found sanctuary in the DJ booth. What's a tool or piece of equipment in the studio or on stage that gives you the most control?

[Ed Helms]

So I have two microphones on stage. We have the microphone that you hear as the audience. Then we have a second microphone in which we communicate with each other. I feel like that second microphone kind of saved all of our friendships. No band likes each other after 20 years or 25 years. The Beatles broke up in seven and a half years and we're going on 35.

[Kal Penn]

Listen to HearSay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Pandora Jewelry Advertiser]

I don't know about you guys, but I love to buy gifts. I love it so much. I love it so much more than getting gifts. But the one thing that I do love, especially when it comes to my daughter, is getting matching things. I know it's such a cliche, but I love it so much. So I have the perfect brand for you. Pandora Jewelry can make their holiday unforgettable with the gift that says it all from Pandora Jewelry. A gift that tells a story and shows you know theirs that doesn't just sparkle but speaks. From new festive charms to forever rings and personal engravings, this season, give a gift that's perfectly theirs. Whether you're shopping for a shiny surprise for your significant other, matching bracelets to celebrate your friendship, or a heartfelt gift for a family member, Say more this holiday season with Pandora. Shop [e-mail] or visit your closest Pandora store.

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

No, it's not too soon to start holiday shopping. Ulta Beauty's early Black Friday event is happening now through November 22nd. Shop $10 beauty minis from brands like Mac and too faced. Take 30% off Lancome and Touchland fragrances and body mists. With new offers dropping every week, our associates can help you find the perfect gifts. Head into Ulta Beauty today to shop our early Black Friday event, Ulta Beauty Gifting Happens here.

[Amy Robach]

Continuing our conversation about what's going on in the state of Arizona. And certainly it's become a national story where these group of math teachers in Arizona put on a Halloween costume for the second year in a row. But this year, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination, it was misinterpreted. And then it became something that just is difficult to watch and witness, where we have teachers afraid to go to work, students afraid to go to school, and teachers names, phone numbers put out for folks who are angry at this picture to put out messages of hate, violence. I mean, it really is just a disturbing and escalating situation. The temperature has not come down because the state lawmakers and lawmakers around the country who want to believe that this was politically motivated, they're not backing down, despite the proof that it wasn't. So the math department actually put out that they were going to do a group costume this year based on the Gen Alpha, the word of the year, 6, 7. And they thought that would be fun, but they decided to not have this more probably timely Halloween costume out because they didn't want to spend more money. They wanted to save their high school and their school district money. So they decided to reuse the same Halloween costume they had from last year.

[Ed Helms]

So teachers were doing their jobs. Everybody knows a big part of being a teacher that is being very frugal, being, being very resourceful and making money stretch. So they were actually in the process of being good teachers as all this happened to them. That just adds to the story. Nobody's gonna believe that either. I guess that's just gonna. That just adds another element to the holy hell, to this story. It's just. It's just a shame. I hate it for those teachers. I hate it for that. That district, that area, that even for the state of Arizona at this point, to see. To see how they are leading the way almost in this story, on. In the opposite direction of what we were hoping they were going to lead us. And that includes Turning Point usa, continuing on that legacy of debate, of discourse, of continuing that on. Absolutely. We just saw. We are so offended at what happened to Charlie Kirk, all because he was saying something. So let's all bring the temperature down. You remember all that. You remember that memorial service? They get up time after time. I know they pointed some political fingers, but wasn't there more of a commitment? Right. Weren't we all trying to.

[Amy Robach]

Words matter.

[Ed Helms]

That we all. Both sides left, right. And I know they try to blame each other, but still, we agreed. We all agreed that this isn't what we need to keep doing.

[Amy Robach]

And yet here we are.

[Ed Helms]

They sick them on teachers who are.

[Amy Robach]

Still now fearing for their lives and fearing for their family's safety because of a Halloween costume that had no mal intent. They actually won a costume contest with those same T shirts the year before. And so they thought, you know, they were good enough for last year. We won the whole contest, the costume contest with these T shirts. Let's just wear them again now. The school superintendent put out a statement that I actually really appreciated and it goes in line with what you're saying, babe. And I think that maybe, man, if the lawmakers who are holding firm and doubling down on their initial reaction to that photo, if they could just take what the school superintendent said to heart, maybe they could have a change of heart. He said this horrific loop of flinging poo and insults at others who we think disagree with us will never be broken online or via a phone call or via an email. It's only going to be broken by stepping out and meeting our neighbors. What if the head of Turning Point usa, what if some of these senators and lawmakers and conservative commentators actually went and met with these teachers? Would they walk away feeling and thinking and saying the same things they are now?

[Ed Helms]

The leader in this situation should not be the local school superintendent. We got senators, US Senators involved. There should be different and bigger voices. But I hope, I pray they do listen and some cooler heads can prevail and this now turn into maybe a. Maybe this is a reason for this robes and this ends up being a bigger story, as a bigger show of support and understanding and maybe it can become something bigger because right now it's just a disappointment. I hope it's. This is not just, you know, when you get politicians involved on something like this, it's. These are fundraising moves for them, right? They're firing up their people, they're firing up their base. They've got elections to win. Hope it's not just that over some teachers. That Senator Lee thing is their names and numbers and addresses, that's tough.

[Amy Robach]

I actually had to reread it and make sure that I saw it for what it was. And that is just a sad and appalling state of where we are. But look, yes, the school superintendent is leading the way and perhaps he can shine a light or shed some light on what is going on. And maybe one of these politicians will step up and say, I got it wrong. What do you think the chances of that are?

[Ed Helms]

I will stay optimistic today because we don't Everybody else is. We're down enough. We got enough stuff to be down about. Let me be upbeat and optimistic about this one. But really thinking about you all out there in Arizona and you, you will play this. I encourage everybody. I do this all the time. Just give it a beat before your initial emotion is outrage. Don't. Don't lead with that. Just a little investigation. Doesn't even take long. A quick Google search and you can find out. Oh, that's not what I thought it was. We've seen it time and time again. I always go back to Princess Kate, everybody. Ms. Ray had celebrities apologizing for things they said about her. That whole photo thing. Oh, yeah, by the way. Yeah. Oh, she has cancer. You know, just give it a beat, give people a little grace and do a little investigation and maybe, maybe you'll find out there's, there's no justification for your initial outrage.

[Amy Robach]

I love that. And with that, everyone, thank you for listening to us. We appreciate it and we appreciate you. I'm Amy Robach alongside T.J. holmes. We will talk to you soon.

[Lenovo Pro Advertiser]

There's no championship league for small business owners, but if there was, you'd be at the top of the standings. Because going pro with Lenovo Pro means you've got the winning formation. One on one advice IT solutions and customized hardware powered by Intel Core Ultra processors help you stay ahead of the competition. Business goes pro with Lenovo Pro. Sign up for [e-mail] Pro Lenovo Lenovo.

[Kal Penn]

Hey audiobook lovers. I'm Cal Penn.

[Ed Helms]

I'm Ed Helms.

[Kal Penn]

Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with new podcast Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club.

[Ed Helms]

Each week we sit down with your.

[Lenovo Pro Advertiser]

Favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests.

[Ed Helms]

To discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks.

[Kal Penn]

From audible, listen to Earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app today.

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

No, it's not too soon to start holiday shopping. Ulta Beauty's early Black Friday event is happening now through November 22nd. Shop $10 beauty minis from brands like Mac and too faced. Take 30% off Lancome and Touchland fragrances and body mists. With new offers dropping every week, our associates can help you find the perfect gifts. Head into Ulta Beauty today to shop our early Black Friday event. Ulta Beauty Gifting happens here.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Get festive with Fossil this holiday season. As a proud sponsor of Jingle Ball, Fossil has unforgettable gifts for everyone on your list. A limited edition watch collection with Nick Jonas, plus statement jewelry, giftable leather goods.

[Amy Robach]

And of course, timeless watches. From elegant Raquel for her to rugged.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Machine for him, there's nothing like a.

[Amy Robach]

Fossil watch and there's a style for.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Everybody and a personal touch.

[Amy Robach]

Customize their gift with free engraving and embossing.

[Washable Sofas Advertiser]

Shop it all now@ fossil.com.

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

Travel is one of the best ways to discover yourself through experiences, making rich memories, the.

[Amy Robach]

Heightened emotions and deep connections. And with EF Ultimate Break's biggest sale of the year, there is up to $1,000 off trips to Japan, Italy, Greece, Thailand, Egypt, Kenya and beyond, which you can lock in for just $99. Build lasting friendships forever change how you see the world and just have the.

[Ulta Beauty Announcer]

Time of your life. Visit ef ultimate break.com this is an iHeart podcast.