Iowa teacher could be fired after social media post about Charlie Kirk’s death

Iowa Republican leaders and school officials are condemning reports that a teacher celebrated the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, calling the alleged remarks “reprehensible” and demanding swift accountability.

The Iowa Department of Education said Thursday it had received “multiple reports of disturbing comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk that were allegedly made by school personnel.”

“Condoning political or any type of violence is reprehensible and has no place in Iowa education,” the department said in a statement Thursday. “Our educators are entrusted by families with the care and development of their children. Such behavior does not represent Iowa’s dedicated teachers and should be rejected in the strongest possible terms. Local education leaders are charged with investigating these reports in accordance with their local school board policies and Iowa’s standards of professional conduct and ethics.”

A teacher in the Oskaloosa Community School District could be fired after they allegedly posted on social media celebrating Kirk’s killing and calling him a Nazi.

Superintendent Mike Fisher is recommending the school board terminate the teacher’s contract with the district. The Oskaloosa school board is meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday to consider the recommendation.

The teacher can request at the meeting that discussion be moved into closed session, according to Iowa Code.

Iowa’s top Republicans made clear they expect swift resolution.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in a post on Facebook Friday said she appreciates the efforts of the Iowa Department of Education and Iowa school leaders “who are taking steps to stand for civility and protect our children. Political violence should never be celebrated.”

Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, in a social media post, signaled that the Iowa Legislature may intervene if local districts fail to act.

“This hate has no place in our state, and certainly does not belong in our schools,” Grassley said. “My expectation is that each school district will follow the proper protocol to investigate these posts and reprimand the posters appropriately. Individuals with this depravity cannot continue to hold a position with any level of influence over our children. If appropriate action is not taken, you can trust that the Iowa House Government Oversight Committee will address this issue and take action to root out this hate from our schools.”

It’s unclear what authority or role the committee would have to investigate or reprimand individual teachers, given that disciplinary actions are usually handled by local school boards or the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners.

The board is the state entity in Iowa responsible for licensing teachers and school administrators in the state. The BOEE handles complaints and investigations related to licensed educators, especially when there is alleged misconduct that violates board rules or state law. The BOEE's responsibilities include making sure licensed practitioners meet professional and ethical standards, and can revoke or discipline licensed educators when warranted.

Grassley’s office did not immediately respond to a list of questions and request for comment sent by The Gazette Thursday and Friday.

Rep. Austin Harris, a Republican from Moulton and chair of the Iowa House Education Appropriates Committee, posted Friday on X that Iowa schools “must uphold integrity and safety.”

“... any school district that continues to employ individuals who endorsed the Charlie Kirk assassination will face serious consequences,” Harris said.

Southeast Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks said she was “disturbed” by the Oskaloosa teacher’s post.

“Cheering political violence is always wrong — and should NEVER be done by those who educate our children,” Miller-Meeks said in a social media post. “I will be contacting the superintendent and principal first thing in the morning to ensure this is addressed immediately.”

Miller-Meeks later said the district had launched an investigation, placed the teacher on administrative leave, and that the superintendent had recommended termination.

Kirk, a nationally known conservative activist and founder of the student group Turning Point USA, was fatally shot Wednesday while speaking at a college campus in Utah. His killing has sparked intense national debate, with Republicans portraying him as a martyr to free speech and critics recalling his history of inflammatory remarks about women, LGBTQ people and immigrants.

The Iowa controversy illustrates the local ripple effects of that debate, bringing national politics into classrooms and raising questions about how schools should handle educators’ online speech.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com