Florida Pledges To Hold Teachers ‘Accountable’ Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Death

Florida officials promised Thursday to discipline teachers who celebrate the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a memo to school superintendents saying that there would be consequences for employees who celebrate or mock the killing of Kirk, who was gunned down on Wednesday while holding an event at Utah Valley University.

“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. These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators,” he wrote in the memo. “Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”

Teachers are held to a higher standard as public servants and must ensure their conduct does not undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable.… pic.twitter.com/KzXCCGkvZm

— Anastasios Kamoutsas (@StasiKamoutsas) September 11, 2025

While tributes for Kirk poured in following news of his death, many leftists responded by mocking Kirk or celebrating his death. A dean of students at Middle Tennessee State University was fired Wednesday after she said she had “zero sympathy” for Kirk.

Kamoutsas noted that while teachers have First Amendment rights, comments they make could violate professional codes of conduct that they are required to follow.

“Although educators have First Amendment rights, these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties,” he wrote in the memo. “An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised Kamoutsas for the memo.

“Celebrating the assassination of a 31-year-old father of two young kids is disturbing; that teachers would be among those who do so is completely unacceptable,” he said. “Glad [Kamoustas] is bringing accountability. It is sad that we’ve seen a number of teachers across America celebrate Charlie Kirk’s murder.”

Other individuals across the country have also lost their jobs over posts made about Kirk’s death, including at the University of Mississippi.

“Yesterday, a University of Mississippi staff member re-shared hurtful, insensitive comments on social media regarding the tragic murder of Charlie Kirk,” University of Mississippi Chancelor Glenn Boyce said Thursday. “These comments run completely counter to our institutional values of civility, fairness, and respecting the dignity of each person. We condemn these actions, and this staff member is no longer employed by the university.”