The Florida Department of Education has committed to investigating “all educators involved in this inappropriate and licensed action” regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk, as stated by Florida Board of Education member Anastasios Camoutes in a letter following the incident.
Camoutes mentioned in his correspondence that he observed several “sneaky comments” from educators in Florida after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. He emphasized that these remarks do not represent the “majority” of Florida teachers and announced plans to “conduct a survey of all educators engaged in this inappropriate and sanctionable behavior.”
“This memorandum aims to remind supervisors and their staff that they are held to higher standards as civil servants. Certified educators must adhere to ethical guidelines outlined in the Florida Principles of Educational Professionals, Florida Code of Management (FAC) Rule 6A-10.081 (FAC).
Furthermore, under section (s.) 1012.796 of Florida Law (FS), the commissioner has the authority to identify potential grounds for sanctioning educator certificates. Additionally, s. 1012.795, FS allows the Board of Educational Practice to take disciplinary action against educators who violate Rule 6A-10.081, FAC.
“While educators are entitled to personal opinions, these views should not compromise their professional responsibilities. The perspectives of public educators can erode the trust of the students and families they serve,” he stated.
“Florida law provides the commissioner the ability to “initiate investigations regarding any conduct by educators that could lead to discarding their effectiveness as district employees,” he continued, encouraging educators to distribute the letter among their colleagues in various districts.
“Collaboratively, we must uphold the highest standards of professionalism and ensure that our classrooms in Florida remain safe and conducive to learning.
The achievements of all students,” Camoutes added, “depend on this commitment.”
The Lee County School District acknowledged a letter and expressed gratitude to the staff for reporting concerning social media posts. The district confirmed that its Human Resources department is “conducting a review and collaborating with the Florida Department of Education.”
“We have instituted appropriate measures to maintain a focus on teaching and learning within the classroom,” he assured.
One of the teachers in question was employed at Starkey Elementary School. Reportedly, in a post, she questioned, “Are your thoughts and prayers sincere?!” decrying abortion shortages and pointing to preventable deaths among children due to gun violence in the country.
Reports indicate that some educators referred to Kirk as a misogynist and attributed the deaths of numerous women to him.
“Good riddance!” the teacher exclaimed.
Four teachers from the Osceola County School District are currently under investigation for their social media posts.
“Celebrating the assassination of a father of two young children is entirely inappropriate. Teachers should never act in such a manner,” remarked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. “I commend @stasikamoutsas for promoting accountability. It’s disheartening to witness educators celebrate the murder of Charlie Kirk.”
