OAN Staff Sophia Flores
6:45 PM – Thursday, September 18, 2025
Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas has announced that the state will investigate “every educator” who celebrated Turning Point USA CEO and Co-founder Charlie Kirk’s death.
In a letter published on Thursday to the state’s school superintendents, Kamoutsas stated that he will be “conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk,” he wrote. “These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators. Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
According to Kamoutsas, state law permits the Education Practices Commission to suspend a teacher’s license if they are sanctioned or found guilty of inappropriate personal conduct.
So far, four teachers in Osceola County alone are under investigation for their social media comments. One educator in Kissimmee, Florida, wrote “protect ur rights brother!!!! so proud of you taking this one for the team,” accompanying a Kirk quote declaring that “some” gun deaths were worth it to maintain gun rights.
Kamoutsas acknowledged that teachers have First Amendment rights, but emphasized that these do not extended without limits into their professional duties.
“Although educators have First Amendment rights, these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties. An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve. If an educator’s conduct causes a student or his or her family to feel unwelcome or unwilling to participate in the learning environment, it may be a violation of Rule 6A10.081, F.A.C.,” the letter concluded.
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