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A Florida teacher says he was forced to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom after a student complained – a decision he said amounted to political discrimination.
William Loggans, who teaches law and economics at Horizon High School in Orange County, told NBC affiliate WESH 2 that he was ordered to remove the poster depicting Kirk and one of his quotes over the objection of a student.
Loggans said he decorates his classroom walls with various inspirational posters of figures ranging from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Rosa Parks and Ronald Reagan. The poster featured a photo of Kirk along with one of his quotes: “Never underestimate the power of your voice and the impact you can have on the world when you stand up for what you believe in.”
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A Florida teacher was reportedly forced to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom. (Lynne Sladky/AP Photo)
The teacher, who said the poster’s inclusion on his wall was not a political statement, claimed the school administration admitted the poster was not controversial but demanded it be removed because of Kirk’s status as a lightning rod in some circles.
“They admitted that the poster didn’t say anything controversial and was inspirational, but that Charlie Kirk was a controversial political figure and it should be removed,” Loggans told WESH 2. “I didn’t see anything political in it at all – it was just an inspirational quote from Charlie Kirk.”
Loggans obtained an attorney and filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging political discrimination. He hopes he will be allowed to display the poster again, but if not, he promises to sue the school.
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The school told WESH 2 it believed its decision was consistent with district policy and a memo sent by Florida’s education commissioner regarding social media posts made by teachers at the school in the wake of Kirk’s shooting.
“An educator’s personal opinions that are made public can undermine the trust and confidence of the students and families they serve. If an educator’s conduct causes a student or family to feel unwelcome or unwilling to participate in the learning environment, it may constitute a violation of Rule 6A-10.081, FAC,” Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas wrote in a letter.
However, in the social media post announcing the letter, Kamoutsas claimed it was directed at teachers making “disgusting comments about the horrific murder of Charlie Kirk” and vowed to investigate them.
The school district cited a letter sent by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas to justify its decision. (Getty)
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Kirk was shot during a speech at Utah Valley University on September 10 while responding to a question from an audience member about transgender mass shooters. The alleged killer of Turning Point USA co-founder Tyler Robinson had a transgender partner and allegedly sent a message saying, “Some hatreds cannot be negotiated.”
“We understand that many are mourning the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. The district has requested that the poster be removed to maintain classroom neutrality, consistent with our policy prohibiting political or partisan protests. Our goal is a respectful and inclusive learning environment for all students,” an Orange County School District representative told WESH.
Loggans’ attorney, Anthony Sabatini, said the district doesn’t enforce its policies consistently and he believes they targeted Kirk’s poster because he was conservative. He showed a poster of former President Barack Obama in another teacher’s classroom. The district has denied any bias in enforcing its policies.
“When staff are made aware of a situation that constitutes a violation of state law or policy, it is handled accordingly and without political bias,” a district official said.
The teacher said he wanted to start a Turning Point chapter at his school. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)
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The teacher said he would like to start a club modeled after Turning Point USA, the conservative political organization Kirk runs, established at his school until an official TPUSA chapter can be established.
The Orange County School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
