A social studies teacher from Kaukauna High School in Wisconsin has been put on administrative leave due to comments he made on social media after the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) dinner on Saturday night.
Patrick Meyer reportedly expressed his discontent by stating, “I’m not impressed with the recent presidential assassins.” He described historical figures associated with presidential assassinations in a sarcastic manner, saying, “MAGAA (Make Americans Great Assassins Again)! sad!” This was all posted online, which has since been deleted.
Republican Congressman Tony Weed of Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District shared a screenshot of the post on his blog, citing it as inappropriate and not reflective of the values of the community: “This type of offensive rhetoric has no place in our society,” he noted, emphasizing that teachers should set a better example for students.
The Kaukauna School District acknowledged the situation surrounding Meyer’s post and confirmed that he has been placed on leave while they review the matter. In a statement, they said, “Kaukauna Area School District is committed to maintaining a safe and supportive learning environment for all students, families, and staff and unequivocally rejects any act, expression, or behavior that may encourage, condone, or incite violence in any way.”
During a school board meeting and on the district’s Facebook page, parents and community members expressed their concerns over Meyer’s comments. One parent pointed out, “His comment was, ‘Make assassination great again.’ What does this teach our children?”
In related news, Cole Thomas Allen, 31, was charged with various offenses, including attempting to assassinate the president. He allegedly attempted to breach a security checkpoint at the WHCA dinner before being apprehended.
About ten minutes prior to the incident, he reportedly sent a manifesto to his family targeting President Donald Trump and his administration.
As of now, Kaukauna High School has not issued a public comment on the situation.
