GALESBURG, MI — A teacher at Galesburg-Augusta Community Schools is on administrative leave after posting on social media about the death of Charlie Kirk.
The now deleted post shared on the teacher’s personal Facebook account mentioned “karma,” “thoughts and prayers” and included two quotes attributed to Kirk, according to News Channel 3.
Kirk was killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
The district said the post “caused concern in our community,” and school officials are conducting an investigation, in a post shared on the district’s Facebook page.
“The teacher’s comments do not reflect the sentiment of the school district,” the post said. “The district does not condone supporting violence of any kind.”
Lindsey Newton, Galesburg-Augusta superintendent, declined to respond to any additional questions.
School officials are working with legal counsel to determine next steps, the post said.
“Escalating the situation further by forcing a resignation or termination will not heal the community, it will only deepen divisions,” Melvina Gillespie, a union representative with the Michigan Education Association, said at the meeting.
Newton said the district has received almost 300 phone calls, emails, text messages and voicemails regarding the post and the district is “under a negative light,” during a Monday, Sept. 15 school board meeting, according to News Channel 3.
“If we allow individuals or groups to pressure, to dictate employment decisions, we set a dangerous precedent that weakens protections and has a chilling effect on every educator in this district,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie declined to comment on the matter to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette.