Florida Suspends Teachers Who Celebrated Kirk’s Assassination, And DeSantis Sends a Warning
Educators stand before our children eight hours a day, wielding influence that rivals or exceeds that of parents. Professional standards aren’t just bureaucratic guidelines – they’re the guardrails that protect this delicate relationship between teacher, student, and society. These standards have always demanded more than mere competence; they require character.
That’s why the events of this week should shake every parent to their core. When conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, leaving behind a wife and two young children, something disturbing emerged from Florida’s classrooms. Teachers – multiple teachers – took to social media to celebrate his death.
One North Florida educator, now suspended, posted: “This may not be the obituary we were all hoping to wake up to, but this is a close second for me.”
I mean, isn’t that just sick? Someone trusted to teach children viewed the violent murder of a 31-year-old father as cause for celebration. But Florida, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, isn’t having any of this disgustingness.
From ‘Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas memo’:
Teachers are held to a higher standard as public servants and must ensure their conduct does not undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. Although educators have First Amendment rights, these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties.
An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve.
Florida’s Education Commissioner didn’t mince words in his response: Kamoutsas sent a stern memo to superintendents statewide, promising to investigate every educator who engaged in what he called “vile, sanctionable behavior.”
And by Thursday afternoon, the consequences were already rolling out. A teacher at Lakeland Institute for Learning was fired. Starkey Elementary in Pinellas County confirmed they were “handling the matter.” Clay County suspended an employee, while Lee County launched its own review.
Gov. DeSantis backed the crackdown, calling it “completely unacceptable” that teachers would celebrate the assassination of a young father.
The pattern extended beyond Florida’s borders, too, as Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Mississippi swiftly terminated staff members who made similar posts. This wasn’t isolated; it was systemic.
When teachers publicly celebrate political assassination, they’re not just expressing an opinion … they’re normalizing barbarism. They’re telling our children, through their actions, that violence is acceptable when directed at people you disagree with.
Imagine if the roles were reversed – would these same institutions tolerate teachers celebrating violence against progressive activists? Of course not. What does this say about us as a nation? When educators across multiple states feel comfortable publicly celebrating murder, we’ve crossed a dangerous line.
That’s why the events of this week should shake every parent to their core. When conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, leaving behind a wife and two young children, something disturbing emerged from Florida’s classrooms. Teachers – multiple teachers – took to social media to celebrate his death.
One North Florida educator, now suspended, posted: “This may not be the obituary we were all hoping to wake up to, but this is a close second for me.”
I mean, isn’t that just sick? Someone trusted to teach children viewed the violent murder of a 31-year-old father as cause for celebration. But Florida, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, isn’t having any of this disgustingness.
From ‘Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas memo’:
Teachers are held to a higher standard as public servants and must ensure their conduct does not undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. Although educators have First Amendment rights, these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties.
An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve.
Florida’s Education Commissioner didn’t mince words in his response: Kamoutsas sent a stern memo to superintendents statewide, promising to investigate every educator who engaged in what he called “vile, sanctionable behavior.”
And by Thursday afternoon, the consequences were already rolling out. A teacher at Lakeland Institute for Learning was fired. Starkey Elementary in Pinellas County confirmed they were “handling the matter.” Clay County suspended an employee, while Lee County launched its own review.
Gov. DeSantis backed the crackdown, calling it “completely unacceptable” that teachers would celebrate the assassination of a young father.
The pattern extended beyond Florida’s borders, too, as Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Mississippi swiftly terminated staff members who made similar posts. This wasn’t isolated; it was systemic.
When teachers publicly celebrate political assassination, they’re not just expressing an opinion … they’re normalizing barbarism. They’re telling our children, through their actions, that violence is acceptable when directed at people you disagree with.
Imagine if the roles were reversed – would these same institutions tolerate teachers celebrating violence against progressive activists? Of course not. What does this say about us as a nation? When educators across multiple states feel comfortable publicly celebrating murder, we’ve crossed a dangerous line.
70-79, M
