In other states, some teachers are being punished for personal social media posts
Posted: September 18, 2025
Across the country, more than three dozen educators and school staff have been removed from their jobs or sidelined because of allegations that they made mocking or disparaging remarks, often on personal social media channels, about conservative organizer Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last week in Utah.
The Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association has not received reports of any Hawaiʻi educators being disciplined for allegedly making mocking or negative remarks about Kirk, who was fatally shot last Wednesday. Public or charter school teachers in the islands who may find themselves in this position should contact their HSTA UniServ director and consult our Know Your Rights flyers, which explain what to do if you’re called into a meeting with your principal (flyer called “Meetings”) and the legitimate reasons for teachers to be disciplined (flyer called “Teacher Discipline”). The flyers are password-protected on our website.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle released the following statement in the wake of increased threats and targeted actions against educators following Kirk’s assassination.
“Violence, aggression, and intimidation have no place in our schools or campuses, our country or democracy. When threats and attacks target educators, they do not just endanger individuals; they undermine the very foundation of public education and democracy. Every student deserves to learn in a safe environment and every educator deserves to work without fear.
“The threats, harassment, and mob tactics targeting educators are another orchestrated attempt to intimidate us. These attacks are meant to silence our voices and undermine public education – all to pave the way to privatization.
“America’s educators have spent decades demanding our elected leaders take meaningful action to end school and campus shootings. We should focus on making sure that public schools and college campuses are the safest places – not battlegrounds for intimidation and hate.
“Educators work every day to support, inspire and protect our students, their families, and communities. We speak up for all students, especially students with disabilities and from low-income families. Now some are trying to silence us for calling out what is really happening: politicians pushing anti-public education agendas are trying to take meals from hungry students, strip Medicaid from those who need care at school, and target our immigrant students and their families.
“Our nation must reject the vitriol that is making schools and communities less safe and poisoning our public discourse. Our students deserve better: a higher quality of debate and role models who put their safety ahead of politics, and reflect the values of dignity, respect, and democracy.”
Teachers in other states around the nation report receiving death threats and being wrongly targeted by conservative activists who mistakenly blamed them for social media posts critical of Kirk that they had nothing to do with, NBC News reported. Other education employees are being harassed and even fired for expressing their opinions.
Critics have pointed out that the Republicans, whose party has strongly opposed “cancel culture,” are now canceling people for speaking out and stating opinions with which they disagree.