The Texas Education Agency (TEA) says it is investigating reports that some Texas public school educators posted or shared “reprehensible and inappropriate” content on social media following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
In a letter to superintendents, Commissioner of Education Mike Morath said the agency’s Educator Investigations Division is reviewing the posts to determine whether they violated the Educators’ Code of Ethics.
“Such posts could constitute a violation of the Educators' Code of Ethics, and each instance will be thoroughly reviewed to determine whether sanctionable conduct has occurred,” Morath wrote.
Morath noted that while free speech protections exist, “it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives.”
He called the posts “vile” and emphasized that they do not reflect the work of the vast majority of Texas educators, who serve more than 5.5 million students across the state.
“Mr. Kirk was a father and a husband, and tragically, his children no longer have their father, and his wife no longer has her spouse,” Morath said. “As a father and husband myself, and as someone devoted to the education of children, it is heartbreaking.”
The commissioner also urged district leaders to report any additional incidents of inappropriate content through TEA’s Misconduct Reporting Portal.
“I commend the swift action taken by the leadership of the districts that employ these educators,” Morath added. “Respect is a core tenet of what we teach and reinforce to our students, and together, we can ensure that such values continue to be reflected in our Texas public schools.”
