Gov. Mike Braun hasn’t done enough to punish teachers who celebrated the murder of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk more than a year ago.
That’s according to Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, who said his office referred numerous educators to the Indiana Department of Education for potential disciplinary action.
In the immediate aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Gov. Mike Braun warned Indiana teachers acclaiming the murder on social media could lead to them losing their teaching license.
“In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, there have been some terrible things shared, particularly across social media,” Braun said in September of last year. “While we must protect the First Amendment, calls for political violence are not freedom of speech and should not be tolerated.”
A month later, reporting from WFYI found that no teachers had lost their licenses.
Now more than a year later, Rokita said Braun has not taken any action against dozens of teachers referred to the Governor’s office.
“We are asking you to back up your words by directing IDOE to address our referrals and pursue the appropriate licensing action,” he said in a statement posted to social media. “When will your administration act?”
Rokita included social media posts from two teachers expressing open ambivalence about Kirk’s death.
“With all due disrespect, Charlie Kirk can suck it,” one post said.
“Such conduct raises serious questions about an educator’s fitness to teach,” Rokita wrote, arguing that many students hold beliefs similar to the conservative commentator. “How can [students] feel safe and respected in a classroom led by someone who publicly states that the world would be better off without people like them?”
A Ball State University employee was fired for posts about Charlie Kirk. The university ultimately settled a lawsuit over the firing.
The Governor’s office did not immediately respond to WFYI’s request for comment.
Contact Government Reporter Benjamin Thorp at bthorp@wfyi.org
