Teachers are under fire for exercising freedom of speech after the death of right-wing activist and white supremacist, Charlie Kirk.
Like many others, American teachers took to social media after Kirk was pronounced dead to give their opinions. Some denounced the violence, some celebrated, and others simply shared some of Kirk’s quotes. As a result, multiple educators have faced disciplinary action. Education Week reported on a few instances of alleged teacher misconduct. Punitive action has been doled out in at least 11 states, including Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Oregon, South Carolina, and Texas.
Posts from Facebook, TikTok, and X have been brought to the attention of school districts by supporters of Kirk’s.
Florida teacher Kelly Brock Alvarez wrote a post that could be interpreted as condoning the shooter’s actions.
Alvarez, who goes by the name @KellySteelMagnolias on X, wrote: “This may not be the obituary we hoped to wake up to, but this is a close second for me.”
An X user, Florida State Sen. Jennifer Bradley, was offended by the post and contacted Clay County District School to report Alvarez. The Florida Voice reported on Clay County’s response. In a statement, the district denounced the post and made clear that the teacher’s behavior would be addressed, though no concrete details of the chastening could be made public.
A teacher in Florida?
Meet Kelly Brock-Sanchez.
She was hoping to wake up to an obituary. Well, this teacher at Ridgeview Elementary School is going to peacefully wake up to a lot of messages.
It would be a shame if everyone in Lakeside, FL, sees this.
CC: @GovRonDeSantis pic.twitter.com/H6iYQFYJvT
— ThePersistence (@ScottPresler) September 11, 2025
We’re aware of this post, and we want to assure you that the views expressed do not reflect the values of our school.
We do not condone the content of the post. This is now a personnel matter, and human resources is involved.
We cannot share specific details, but please know that we are addressing the situation very seriously.
Unfortunately, educators are not the only ones facing backlash for speaking ill of Kirk, his past comments, and his early demise. Journalists are also on the chopping block.
On Sep. 15, Karen Attiah, the last Black full-time opinion columnist at the Washington Post, was fired for exercising her right to free speech.
Attiah wrote about her termination on Substack. She made the motivations of the Washington Post clear — an attempt to silence a journalist speaking her truth.
“Last week, the Washington Post fired me. The reason? Speaking out against political violence, racial double standards, and America’s apathy toward guns.”
In the wake of Kirk’s death, he has become a figure of resistance and morality for many on the conservative right. Those in opposition who point out his words verbatim, which often denigrate marginalized communities, are publicly vilified. Some have denounced churches that did not preach about death. Others have spoken about Kirk reaching sainthood, though he was not Catholic and often advocated for actions that are the direct opposite.
So share with us ONE QUOTE from Charlie that shows him being “an unrepentant racist, transphobe, homophone, and misogynist”
Asking for 75 million people
— Kamalaugh (@Splendor_Candor) September 14, 2025
The saga will continue as multiple warring reports about the shooter’s motivations have circulated. There is still a lack of clarity. Yet, social media will continue to push contradictory stories, false narratives, and condemnation for any who disagrees.
RELATED CONTENT: Social Media Erupts After Black Servicemen Made To Honor Charlie Kirk In New Video
