The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has launched a formal investigation into public school educators accused of sharing or posting “reprehensible and inappropriate” content on social media following the September 10, 2025, assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. The probe, initiated by TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, was detailed in a letter sent to all Texas school superintendents on September 12 and has since been publicly endorsed by Governor Greg Abbott.
In the letter, Morath emphasized that the posts under review may constitute violations of the Educators’ Code of Ethics. He made clear that while the right to free speech is protected, it does not allow educators to incite violence or celebrate acts of political violence. “While the exercise of free speech is a fundamental right we are all blessed to share, it does not give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives,” Morath wrote. He also noted that such conduct could lead to formal investigations and potential certification suspensions.
The TEA has since received approximately 180 complaints as of September 15, and its Educator Investigations Division has begun reviewing the reported content. While no disciplinary actions have yet been finalized, Morath has stated that any educator found to have incited violence will be recommended for suspension and deemed ineligible to teach in Texas public schools. “There is a difference between comments made in poor taste and those that call for and incite further violence—the latter of which is clearly unacceptable,” he added in a follow-up statement released through public officials and media outlets.
Governor Abbott has actively supported the TEA’s actions, referencing the investigations in multiple posts on his X (formerly Twitter) account. On September 13, he wrote, “The Texas Education Agency is investigating teachers and staff who have ‘posted and/or shared reprehensible and inappropriate content on social media’ about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.” Two days later, he updated the public on the scale of the investigation, stating that “more than 100” educators are under review and may face suspension.
The governor’s comments coincide with his broader condemnation of public reactions he views as supportive of or mocking political violence. Abbott also recently praised law enforcement for arresting a Texas Tech student who disrupted a vigil for Kirk.
Although the TEA’s official website has not published a formal press release about the investigation, the agency’s actions have been widely reported by outlets including the Dallas Morning News, Houston Chronicle, CBS Texas, KERA News, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Some districts have already begun acting independently. Klein ISD reportedly terminated a teacher who labeled Kirk a “racist, homophobic, a misogynist, transphobic nasty person,” while educators in Midland ISD and Goose Creek Consolidated ISD have been placed on administrative leave pending review. The TEA is working with each district to collect necessary documentation related to potential code violations.
The actions have sparked criticism from groups like the Texas American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which argue that the TEA’s broad interpretation of inappropriate conduct risks infringing on First Amendment protections. AFT representatives have referred to the investigation as a “political witch hunt” that could chill free expression among educators.
Nevertheless, Commissioner Morath and Governor Abbott maintain that the investigation is squarely focused on enforcing professional conduct standards in Texas public schools. No list of accused educators has been released, in keeping with confidentiality protocols during active investigations.
