Hillsborough closes 17 inquiries into social media posts about Charlie Kirk
Tampa Bay Times | Divya Kumar | October 7, 2025
The school district closed investigations into teachers and staffers with one verbal reprimand and a few written notices.
Following state leaders’ calls to investigate teachers’ comments on social media in the aftermath of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Hillsborough County schools have investigated posts by 17 employees.
So far, none appear to have cost an employee their job.
In most instances, individuals were simply spoken to and cautioned, district spokesperson Tanya Arja said. One received a verbal reprimand, and a few were issued a letter of direction, which serve as documentation of conversations about complaints.
Arja said the individuals were reviewed by the district’s Office of Professional Standards.
Neither the initial posts nor the letters were immediately made available. A representative for Hillsborough’s teachers union said letters of direction are not included in an employee’s record, but serve as a documentation of a complaint.
The investigation came after state Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas condemned “vile, sanctionable behavior” and “despicable comments” from some teachers after Kirk was shot and killed in Utah on Sept. 10.
In Lee County, three teachers are expected to be fired over their social media posts, according to the News Press.
Pasco and Pinellas County also had opened investigations over social media complaints and expected to receive more after the state attorney general’s office created a portal for the public to report. No updates from either county were immediately available.
