Texas Governor Addresses Educators’ Online Conduct
On Monday, Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas announced that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is looking into more than 100 teachers for allegedly “calling for violence” on social media, following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
This action follows a letter from Education Board member Mike Morath, which indicated that the TEA is reviewing posts deemed “inappropriate or condemnable.” This review is part of a process where potential breaches of the educator code of ethics are forwarded to the agency’s research department. “Over 100 educators have had their teaching certifications suspended and are therefore not eligible to teach in Texas public schools,” Abbott shared on X.
The Texas Educational Institution is investigating Texan teachers seeking or inciting violence following the assassination of Charlie Kirk. These educators “have suspended teacher accreditation and are not qualified to teach in Texas public schools.” https://t.co/wkxt9h1g4c
– Greg Abbott (@gregabbott_tx) September 15, 2025
Morath emphasized that while freedom of speech is important, it does not grant individuals the right to promote or celebrate violence against those who hold different beliefs. Each case will be assessed separately, and school districts must submit their findings through the TEA’s fraud portal.
According to Cameron Abrams, a Texas reporter, the TEA has received around 180 complaints related to educators’ social media posts following Kirk’s death.
update: @teainfo After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, it received about 180 complaints related to a letter sent last week, seeking reports of “condemnable” content/shared posts by educators. New from the Morath Commissioner:
– Cameron Abrams (@cameronsabras) September 15, 2025
Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was tragically shot on Wednesday during an event at Utah Valley University. A 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson has been arrested in connection with Kirk’s murder.
This initiative has drawn criticisms from some in Texas, who see it as a “political witch hunt” against educators for their personal opinions. Neither Abbott’s statement nor the TEA’s letter has been publicly detailed by the involved educators during this review. The TEA has mentioned that possible penalties could include certificate suspensions and further disciplinary actions if any violations of state ethics are identified.
