CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Texas American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has filed a lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency (TEA) over its investigations into social media posts and comments made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
“We believe it’s a violation of our First Amendment rights because many of these, in fact the majority of them, were done on private Facebook pages and during private time at home and not in the classroom,” Corpus Christi AFT President Dr. Nancy Vera told KRIS 6 News.
In September, Commissioner of Education Mike Morath wrote a statewide notice to superintendents and educators. In it, Morath said any instance of “reprehensible and inappropriate” content related to Kirk’s assassination “will be thoroughly reviewed to determine whether sanctionable conduct has occurred.”
Morath added that “while the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs.”
In the following months, 127 districts have been investigated, including Corpus Christi ISD, Alice ISD and Calallen ISD.
“Teachers are working in fear,” Dr. Vera said. “They’re afraid because they’re going to lose their livelihood and they’re not going to be able to feed their children, their families.”
Dr. Vera said two local educators have been terminated over their social media activity. However, she said she was unable to identify which districts.
She added that the investigations have only exacerbated an already strained workforce.
“We have four-year-plus degrees, and when people treat us — or the government treats us, in this case Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency — with no respect and without regard for humanity, then we have a problem,” Vera said.
Dr. Vera continued, “It’s very hard to be a teacher in Texas right now and maybe even across the nation, but most specifically in Texas, where we’re being bombarded. We have a shortage of teachers, there is not adequate funding for education, and we’re not getting paid what we deserve to be paid.”
“It’s ridiculous,” she added. “How would you feel if you were in a position where everyone was scrutinizing your every move and would report you to the Texas Education Agency or a government agency because you expressed your freedom, your First Amendment right?”
In September, right-wing political commentator and internet personality Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University while hosting an event on campus. Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA, a conservative advocacy group known for hosting similar debate events.
Following Kirk’s death, reactions on social media were divided.
Negative posts and comments criticizing Kirk were met with condemnation from political leaders and commentators. Vice President JD Vance said during an episode of The Charlie Kirk Show, recorded following Kirk’s death, “Call them out, and hell, call their employer.”
“We don’t believe in political violence, but we do believe in civility,” Vance said.
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