Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk this week, teachers and school staff across the country are facing swift backlash, with some losing their jobs and others being placed under review after making social media posts about the killing.
So far, at least a dozen educators—ranging from school board members to classroom teachers—have been disciplined, suspended, or fired over online comments seen as insensitive. In two separate cases, universities went as far as terminating staff members. Conservative influencers have been quick to circulate screenshots, fueling further calls for action, and the number of disciplinary cases is expected to rise.
At East Tennessee State University, two faculty members were put on administrative leave while their posts are investigated, according to spokesperson Jess Vodden. Complaints included screenshots of Facebook comments, shared by the school, showing one faculty member allegedly posting “you reap what you sow,” while another allegedly wrote, “This isn’t a tragedy. It’s a victory.” Vodden said the university had received “numerous complaints” but declined further detail, citing personnel matters.
Middle Tennessee State University confirmed that one of its staff members had been fired, in a statement issued Wednesday by President Sidney McPhee.
The fallout is extending into state politics. The Florida Department of Education issued a memo to all district superintendents on Thursday, warning of possible investigations and disciplinary action against any educator making “inappropriate” remarks about Kirk’s assassination.
“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas wrote in the memo. “I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
Oklahoma’s education chief, Ryan Walters, also pledged to investigate educators for incendiary social media posts about the killing, confirming that his office is already reviewing one case involving a middle school teacher flagged online.
Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. Authorities later identified a 22-year-old Utah resident now in custody as the suspect. Kirk, known for campus events through TPUSA, had built the group into a powerful conservative presence since its founding in 2012, establishing hundreds of college chapters and over a thousand high school clubs. The group is often credited with boosting Donald Trump’s youth vote.
Kirk was a polarizing figure, frequently drawing controversy for spreading false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, as well as remarks about race, LGBTQ rights, feminism, and immigration.
Turning Point USA itself has long maintained websites like the “Professor Watchlist” and “School Board Watchlist,” designed to call out educators accused of left-wing bias, efforts that have been criticized but widely embraced by conservative activists. Since Kirk’s death, similar tactics are now being directed at teachers and professors accused of mocking or celebrating his killing.
The University of Mississippi confirmed Thursday that a staff member had been terminated after “re-sharing” comments about Kirk on social media. “These comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness, and respecting the dignity of each person,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce wrote on X. “We condemn these actions, and this staff member is no longer employed by the university.”
Elsewhere, K-12 staff from California to Florida have also been placed on leave over their posts. In Iowa, the Oskaloosa school board is set to review the future of a teacher accused of posting, “1 Nazi down,” after Kirk’s killing.
In Virginia, Newport News Public Schools suspended a staff member accused of writing on Facebook, “I hope he suffered through all of it,” NBC affiliate WAVY reported. A district spokesperson said: “Given that employees have a unique responsibility to serve as role models, leaders, and caretakers for students in the school division, certain behaviors are deemed inconsistent with employment in the division. Therefore, employees are expected to exercise professional judgment when using social media.”
In Texas, a Baylor University graduate student lost their role as a student teacher with Midway Independent School District due to a social media post about Kirk’s death. The district said the removal was coordinated with Baylor, which later stated on X that it was “greatly disappointed” in the graduate student.
Some free speech advocates have warned against these sweeping reactions. Adam Goldstein, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, questioned the long-term impact of punishing individuals for insensitive remarks.
“If we create a climate of fear so that everyone is afraid to talk,” Goldstein said, “then we’ve actually kind of accomplished the goals of people who wanted to silence Charlie Kirk in the first place.”
Post inspired from – Edweek
