Case Intel
- Lawsuits filed by fired educators argue their social media posts after Kirk’s assassination are constitutionally protected speech.
- One Iowa teacher called Kirk a “Nazi” in a Facebook post, while a South Carolina aide and Indiana university employee also made controversial comments.
- Courts will now decide whether school districts overstepped or whether public outrage justified the terminations.
USA HERALD – Three educators who lost their jobs in the heated aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination are suing, alleging their First Amendment rights were trampled. The lawsuits, filed in September 2025, come from:
- Matthew Kargol, a former high school teacher in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
- Lauren Vaughn, a teacher’s assistant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
- An unnamed employee of an Indiana public university.
All three argue that their dismissals stemmed from constitutionally protected speech made on personal social media accounts, not official school platforms.
Kirk, 31, co-founder of Turning Point USA and a close ally of President Donald Trump, was gunned down on Sept. 10, 2025 at Utah Valley University. Prosecutors allege Tyler Robinson, 24, fired a single rifle shot from a rooftop, ending Kirk’s life in front of a crowd.
The killing shocked the nation and intensified partisan debates over political violence. Conservative commentators and elected officials demanded accountability—not just for Robinson, but also for anyone who appeared to celebrate Kirk’s death online.
School districts and universities quickly moved to terminate employees whose posts drew outrage. The lawsuits argue those firings were illegal retaliation, others contend that it doesn’t matter because in most cases an employer can fire an employee at-will.
