JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas issued a strong warning to educators this week following what he called “disgusting” social media comments made by some teachers after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
In a letter sent to superintendents and school employees on Thursday, Kamoutsas said that while educators have First Amendment rights, those rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties. He reminded educators that their public statements can undermine the trust of students and families they serve.
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“These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators,” Kamoutsas wrote. “Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”
The letter cited Florida’s Rule 6A-10.081, the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession, and statutes authorizing the Commissioner to sanction teaching certificates for conduct that seriously reduces an educator’s effectiveness or undermines trust.
Kamoutsas urged superintendents to share the reminder with all school district employees, emphasizing the importance of maintaining classrooms as safe and academically focused environments for every student.
Andrew Spar, the president of the Florida Education Association (FEA), said he believes Kamoutsas’s letter will have a “chilling” effect on schools throughout the state.
Spar’s comments come after the FEA released a statement on social media, which read, in part, "…we will not stand quiet while educators are tried in the court of public opinion instead of receiving the due process they deserve. Allowing threats and threatening those in our public school communities is counterproductive. As a union, we have always, and will always, stand for bringing people together. Now is the time to unite for safer, stronger communities for every American."
"We released it because a lot of our members were saying, 'Hey, what's going on here?'" Spar said. "'What do we do in this situation?' And teachers feel under attack right now, we've got a letter from the commissioner that certainly wasn't in a tone I would recommend or suggest, in a time when we need to bring calm to a situation.”
Rod Sullivan, a lawyer and former constitutional law professor, explained that First Amendment rights are limited for public employees like teachers.
“If the teacher could stand up at a public hearing and say what they said on their Facebook page before a public body, then it is most likely a matter of public interest," Sullivan said. "If the teacher is simply angry and is venting on their Facebook page, that is probably not going to be protected under the First Amendment, and they're probably going to lose that case.”
The commissioner’s letter comes as several school districts have taken action against teachers for making controversial posts about Kirk’s death.
In Clay County, a teacher at Ridgeview Elementary School was suspended after posting a social media comment reacting to Kirk’s death with a grim caption. The district stated the views expressed do not reflect the values of their schools and that the human resources department is reviewing the matter.
Similarly, in Pinellas County, Starkey Elementary School leaders confirmed they are investigating comments made by a staff member about the incident. The district emphasized its commitment to civility, kindness, and respectful dialogue within its communities.
And in Lee County, the school district said it is investigating teachers who posted messages celebrating Kirk’s murder. School board member Melisa W. Giovannelli stressed that educators’ First Amendment rights do not exempt them from professional responsibilities and highlighted the importance of presenting balanced viewpoints in classrooms.
Kirk was fatally shot while speaking at Utah Valley University, an event captured on video and widely circulated. The FBI has apprehended the 22-year-old shooter. President Donald Trump, joined by Democrats, condemned the violence and announced plans to award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.