Following the killing of Charlie Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas issued a stern warning to educators and superintendents in the Sunshine State.
Officials in Florida believe remarks that seem to encourage a homicide or support political violence might be against state standards for educator conduct and damage public confidence.
The education director of Florida has ordered school districts to look into and possibly reprimand teachers who made supportive remarks or applauded the conservative activist's assassination.
Charlie Kirk's death: Here's what Anastasios Kamoutsas said
In a memo, Kamoutsas directed district officials to look into teachers who shared what he described as “vile, sanctionable” remarks regarding Kirk's murder and, if necessary, to take disciplinary action.
{{/usCountry}}In a memo, Kamoutsas directed district officials to look into teachers who shared what he described as “vile, sanctionable” remarks regarding Kirk's murder and, if necessary, to take disciplinary action.
{{/usCountry}}“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. We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable. Govern yourselves accordingly,” he wrote on X.
The head of education praised the superintendent of Clay County for acting quickly to “suspend a teacher who despicably celebrated the death of Charlie Kirk”. In a post on X on Thursday, he asserted that “such behavior is unacceptable and must have consequences.”
Investigations and personnel actions of a similar nature were reported in other parts of the nation. According to local news channel WAVY, a teacher at Newport News Public Schools was placed on administrative leave following a social media post.
According to local news site KOCO, Oklahoma's education department announced that it was probing a teacher following an online statement. State and district officials said they were looking into the issues.
Trump denounces Charlie Kirk's shooting
With a sizable social media following, Kirk, 31, was a prominent younger voice and supporter of MAGA and a devoted ally of President Donald Trump.
Mourning his demise, Trump said in a Truth Social post, “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us. Melania and my Sympathies go out to his beautiful wife Erika, and family. Charlie, we love you!”
In connection with Kirk's murder, local and federal authorities are actively looking for a person of interest. On Thursday, the FBI posted images of the person in question on social media and requested help from the public to identify them.