Wisconsin Teacher on Leave After Controversial Comments

A teacher from Wisconsin was placed on administrative leave after making a remark that sparked controversy. Patrick Meyer, who teaches social studies at Kaukauna High School, stated he was “not impressed by the latest presidential assassin.”

He reflected on historical assassins—John Wilkes Booth, Charles Guiteau, Leon Czolgosz, and Lee Harvey Oswald—suggesting they would be disturbed by recent failed assassination attempts against the president. In a now-deleted post on X, he mentioned, “I’m not impressed with presidential assassins these days. It’s so embarrassing! Booth, Guiteau, Czolgosz, and Oswald should all be spinning in their graves! MAGAA (Make Americans Great Assassins Again)! So sad!” This seemed to mock the “Make America Great Again” slogan associated with former President Donald Trump.

The Kaukauna Area School District issued a statement revealing that Meyer, a teacher there for over 20 years, was informed about his leave and that the matter would be reviewed following district policies.

The district emphasized its commitment to a safe and supportive environment for everyone involved—students, families, and staff alike—stating that it does not tolerate any actions or expressions that might encourage violence.

Furthermore, they clarified that Meyer’s posts were unrelated to the district and there was no indication of a threat to student safety.

In reactions to Meyer’s comments, local Representative Tony Weed expressed on social media that the offensive rhetoric does not reflect the values of the community and is not the example that educators should set.

This incident comes at a time of heightened awareness regarding political violence, especially following a recent shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.