A teacher under scrutiny for a social media post on Kirk’s death returned to the classroom, as some alumni praised her “nonstop dedication.”
OAK FOREST, IL — An Oak Forest High School teacher whose social media post regarding the death of Charlie Kirk sparked controversy returned to the classroom Thursday, and parents say they still lack clarity on how that unfolded.
The parents are calling for more transparency—and, one father says, condemnation of teacher Laurie Genardo’s message — after Bremen District 228 administration said Wednesday that the teacher remains employed there.
Meanwhile, Genardo’s former students have rallied behind her, citing her “decades of nonstop dedication to her students.”
At issue is a social media post by Genardo, made following the shooting death of popular conservative activist Kirk during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. A 22-year-old Utah man has been arrested in connection with the shooting.
Genardo’s post commented on the fatal shooting of Kirk as an example of, “you reap what you sow,” referring to what many have called the activist’s divisive presence in the political sphere. The text of the post read:
When Kirk made his comment about the necessity of gun deaths to protect the 2nd Amendment, did he consider Uvalde and the 13 beautiful children and 2 teachers who were killed? Did he care about Pulse Nightclub? How about Virginia Tech or Sandy Hook? He perpetuated and openly encouraged gun violence only to pander to his hard right audience. Words have consequences and actions often have mind-blowing irony. This is the single best example of you reap what you sow.
On Monday, district administration said it was in the early stages of an internal investigation into the matter.
Genardo was reportedly absent from the classroom Tuesday and Wednesday, parents have told Patch.
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District officials on Wednesday said Genardo remains on staff, but were not clear if the aforementioned investigation is still ongoing. When asked for clarity on its status, District 228 Public Relations Specialist Yasmeen Sheikah declined further comment.
“Mrs. Genardo remains employed as an English teacher at Oak Forest High School,” reads the statement from Bremen District 228 administration. “We will not be making any further public statements regarding Mrs. Genardo at this time. We will continue to work with all our students and families and remain committed to providing a welcoming and positive working environment for all of our staff and students.”
It’s been a swift turn of events in just days, said parent Rob Sandoval, leaving parents perplexed.
“Everybody is frustrated by the lack of transparency,” he said.
The post, they say, points to a clear course of action.
“On its face, a teacher who publicly endorses violence, a political assassination, should not be in a position of authority of our students,” Sandoval argued. “The extraordinary nature of the post is disqualifying on its face.
“It’s almost beyond argument, that that’s a bridge too far. An American public school teacher cannot publicly endorse political violence, and then walk right back into the classroom in a position of authority, as a role model. That just does not square, with a teacher in a public classroom.”
Former students, though, like ’99 alumna Janet Allen, stand behind Genardo, writing to the board of education on her behalf.
Allen detailed her experiences in high school, attributing them as “guided in part by Mrs. Laurie Genardo,” and asserting her time there “gave me not only an education but also a foundation of confidence, courage, and character that I have carried into every chapter of my life.”
Allen went on to become a high school English teacher before leaving the profession in 2022, she wrote, as she was “disheartened by the rising tide of censorship, the denial of teacher expertise, and the theft of professional autonomy.
“I share this because I know what excellent teaching looks like, and Mrs. Genardo has always embodied it,” the letter reads. “That is why I am devastated to see my alma mater—an institution I have always been so proud to claim—turn its back on the very mission and vision it holds forth.”
Your mission calls for cultivating knowledge, skills, and character in a supportive environment focused on equity and excellence. Your vision aspires to be a model of equity and excellence, preparing students for their futures through rigorous and balanced instruction. Investigating Mrs. Genardo for stating factual, if uncomfortable, truths undermines those goals. It teaches students not to think critically or speak courageously, but instead to stay silent out of fear.
Janet Allen
OFHS Class of ’99, in a letter to D228 administration
Parents like Sandoval say Genardo’s language endorses gun violence. He and others are calling for the district to issue a public condemnation of her post.
“Now that Mrs. Genardo will be returning to school with no apparent accountability, are there any plans for anyone in authority in the school or district to issue a formal condemnation of her post and its message justifying the use of gun violence against innocent people?” Sandoval wrote in an email Thursday to Superintendent Dr. Brad Sikora, Board President Kristine Resler, and OFHS Principal Jane Dempsey.
“… Because now we have that post out there in wide circulation among the student body; the teacher who wrote it returning to class like business as usual; and absolutely no formal comment or condemnation of the post’s dangerous message from anyone in authority at the district.
“Does that formula worry anyone else in this conversation other than me? Because it looks worrisome to me.”
In her own letter, Allen contends that Genardo did not condone violence in her post.
“It named a truth: words have consequences,” Allen wrote. “She is a woman of faith, involved in her church community, and a teacher whose reputation as a staunch advocate for students is unquestioned. To punish her for pointing out irony in the words and actions of a public figure is to betray both intellectual honesty and the values OFHS instilled in me.
“It is also important to note that Mrs. Genardo’s post did not single out Charlie Kirk alone. She explicitly referenced tragedies at Uvalde, Pulse, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook—moments when students, teachers, and communities were torn apart by gun violence. Her words centered those victims. To reduce her post to an attack on one individual is to strip it of its context and compassion.”
District administration said Wednesday they would not comment further on Genardo or the investigation.
Sandoval maintains that Genardo’s post is inflammatory, and he and other parents hope officials will reconsider addressing the matter publicly.
In his email, Sandoval questioned if the administration was concerned about the post’s message “about the justifiable use of gun violence to the 5,000 kids of District 228?