An Oak Forest High School teacher is coming under fire regarding a social media post commenting on last week’s assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk after concerns were raised by some District 228 parents and community members.
Bremen High School District 228 on Tuesday would not disclose the status of their investigation into the English teacher, or disciplinary action that could be taken as a result of what appears to be a now-deleted Facebook post saying Kirk’s assassination “is the single best example of you reap what you sow.”
“District 228 is aware of the matter. We are currently in the preliminary stages of an investigation,” district spokesperson Yasmeen Sheikah said in an emailed statement. “We will not be making public comments with respect to personnel matters at this time.”
Sheikah pointed to the district’s policy on personal technology and social media usage and conduct, which is available on the Board of Education website.
“This includes district employees posting images and private information about themselves or others in a manner readily accessible to students and other employees that is inappropriate,” the policy states.
The policy requires district employees who use personal technology and social media adhere to defined standards for professional and appropriate conduct, which largely deals with protecting students from sexual misconduct from employees. District staff are also prohibited from engaging in political activities “during any compensated time.”
District 228 parent Rob Sandoval, who sent a saved image of the post to district officials, said the post amounted to support for Kirk’s assassination and the teacher should be fired. He said his son is currently taking one of the teacher’s classes.
“By having absolutely no response since that came to their attention, and allowing (the teacher) to remain in the classroom, you are essentially sending a tacit message to high school students … that expressing those kinds of sentiments endorsing political assassination is OK,” Sandoval said.
In the saved post, the teacher appears to point to Kirk’s past comments about gun violence and his support for gun rights.
“When Kirk made his comment about the necessity of gun deaths to protect the Second Amendment, did he consider Uvalde and the 19 beautiful children and two 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,” the saved post states.
While the comments drew outrage from conservative community members, Bremen District 228 Joint Faculty Association President Stephen Hogan said the union defends members’ “right to speak out on matters of public concern.”
He said the union is confident that District 228 administration and board members “recognize public schools should be places where civic engagement is encouraged, not punished, both for students and staff.”
“Comments made by an educator on social media do not interfere with their professional responsibilities, compromise their ability to teach or create a hostile environment for students. Personal political expression outside of school hours, on personal time, is not a punishable offense. It is a protected right, and one that our students should know every American has,” Hogan said.
ostevens@chicagotribune.com