Cobb Schools Chief Calls Fired Teachers ‘Evil’ Over Charlie Kirk Posts

Cobb County’s school chief is labeling teachers who posted about Charlie Kirk’s death as “evil,” using unusually harsh political rhetoric rarely heard from education administrators.

Why It Matters: Conservative Parents in Cobb County are buying the rhetoric and, according to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale, are questioning whether their children are safe in classrooms with teachers who commented on Kirk’s death online.

But parents who spoke in person at a school board meeting yesterday said they worry the district is punishing employees for private speech unrelated to their teaching duties.

What’s Happening: Cobb County Schools is investigating more than a dozen employees for social media posts that appeared to celebrate the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, according to Superintendent Chris Ragsdale.

“This is not about someone’s personal, political or religious beliefs. It’s not about Democrats or Republicans. It’s basically about good and evil,” Ragsdale said on Thursday.

The superintendent’s characterization of teachers as “evil” marks an extraordinary departure from the typically measured language used by school administrators, who rarely wade into politically charged judgments about their staff.

Between the Lines: The investigation comes amid a wave of disciplinary actions against employees nationwide who posted comments about Kirk’s killing on September 10 at Utah Valley University.

Cobb School District policy requires employees to use social media “respectfully and ethically” to avoid harming their own reputations, their colleagues’, or the district’s.

The Big Picture: The controversy has sparked debate about free speech rights for educators and the appropriate boundaries between personal and professional life. At a Monday work session, community members pushed back against the district’s approach.

“I can’t believe that you would punish them for having and expressing opinions on their own social media pages, not in a classroom, not acting as a spokesperson for Cobb County schools, but as a private individual,” one speaker told the board.

Another called the investigation “a knee-jerk response to an intensely polarizing event.”

Crossing Lines: Education experts note that superintendents typically avoid making such bold moral judgments about their employees, especially in politically divisive situations. The language used by Ragsdale represents an unusual blurring of professional administrative duties with political rhetoric.

Ragsdale maintains the district will thoroughly investigate each case, with potential consequences ranging from a letter of direction to termination. The district may also report violations to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which could affect teaching licenses.

Sources: Cobb County School Board Work Session.

📜 The First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

What Does it Mean: The First Amendment protects five big freedoms that everyone in the United States has.

These are the five freedoms:

1. Freedom of Religion — You can believe in any religion you want, or not believe in any religion at all. The government can’t force you to believe something or punish you for your beliefs.
2. Freedom of Speech — You can say what you think and share your ideas, even if others don’t agree with you without the threat of retribution from the government.
3. Freedom of the Press — Newspapers, TV, websites, and reporters can share news and opinions without the government telling them what to say.
4. Freedom to Assemble — You can gather in groups to protest, march, or meet peacefully to talk about things you care about.
5. Freedom to Petition the Government — You can ask the government and government representatives to fix problems or make changes by writing letters, starting petitions, or speaking out in public.

In short, the First Amendment makes sure you can have your own thoughts, share your ideas, and stand up for what you believe — as long as you do it peacefully.