MARTIN COUNTY — A 17-year veteran teacher and the president of the Martin County teachers union should be fired over comments he posted on social media regarding conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death, according to an investigative report about the case.
Matt Theobald, a Spectrum Academy teacher until he was reassigned to the district office Sept. 12 pending the outcome of an investigation, allegedly posted comments that violated the state’s Principles of Professional Conduct Rule and board policy.
Theobald’s comments allegedly called Kirk a racist, misogynistic, fear-mongering, xenophobic neo-Nazi “who used religion to justify all of the evil things he’s said and done.”
After reviewing the investigative report, schools Superintendent Michael Maine’s preliminary recommendation is suspension without pay and a recommendation of termination of employment, the report said. A pre-determination meeting will be scheduled before Maine makes a final determination, the report said.
“The comments, once publicly circulated, generated community concern and complaints, raising questions as to whether this violated ethical standards by undermining confidence in the education profession and creating the potential for students or families to feel unwelcome,” according to the report.
The comments were made on Theobald’s mother’s private Facebook page, within a discussion among personal acquaintances, Theobald told investigators. They were “not intended for public dissemination,” the report said. The conversation included more than 200 people, “most of whom he did not know the names,” the report said.
A teacher sent screenshots of Theobald’s comments to the district office on Sept. 12, the report said.
Theobald — who did not return text messages requesting comment — denied celebrating violence and asserted his remarks were taken out of conversational context, the report said.
While the comments were made on a private social media page, the report said, Theobald should know that social media platforms “do not provide a reasonable expectation of privacy.” Theobald has an “elevated responsibility” to model professionalism as a teacher and union president, the report said.
At least eight Florida school districts removed educators from classrooms within days after Kirk, 31, was shot and killed Sept. 10 during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk was the founder of Phoenix-based Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump.
Theobald’s comments, particularly comparing Turning Point USA to the Hitler Youth, “caused students or families to feel unwelcome or disparaged. The comments caused concerns throughout the community, the report said.
While Theobald’s representatives emphasized his constitutional free-speech protection, “professional standards require consideration of public trust and community confidence,” the report said.
State Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas has said he planned to investigate all teachers’ actions at the state level, posting on X the state would hold teachers who make comments about Kirk’s death accountable.
Colleen Wixon is the education reporter for TCPalm and Treasure Coast Newspapers.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Martin County teacher should be fired for Charlie Kirk comments, investigation finds
Reporting by Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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