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A Florida teacher claimed he was forced to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom after a student complained – a move that he says was political discrimination.
William Loggans, who teaches comprehensive law honors and economics at Horizon High School in Orange County, told NBC affiliate WESH 2 he was ordered to take down the poster featuring Kirk and one of his quotes at a student’s objection.
Loggans said he adorns his classroom walls with various inspirational posters from prominent figures ranging from Martin Luther King, Jr., to Rosa Parks and Ronald Reagan. The poster contained a picture 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 speak up for what you believe in.”
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The teacher, who said the poster’s inclusion on his wall was not a political statement, claimed that the school administration admitted that the poster wasn’t controversial, but demanded it be removed due to 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 that it would have to come down,” Loggans told WESH 2. “I didn’t see anything political with it at all – it’s just an inspirational quote by Charlie Kirk.”
Loggans obtained an attorney and filed a grievance against the school, alleging political discrimination. He is hoping he will be allowed to display the poster again, but if not, he vows to sue the school.
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The school told WESH 2 that they believe their decision is in line with district policy and in accordance with a memo sent by the Florida Commissioner of Education addressing social media posts made by school faculty in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.
“An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. If an educator’s conduct causes a student or his or her family to feel unwelcome or unwilling to participate in the learning environment, it may be a violation of Rule 6A-10.081, F.A.C,” 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 assassination of Charlie Kirk” and vowed to investigate them.
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Kirk was gunned down at a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10 while addressing a question posed by an audience member about transgender mass shooters. The Turning Point USA co-founder’s alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, had a transgender partner and allegedly sent a text reading, “Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”
“We understand many are grieving the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. The district asked that the poster be removed to maintain classroom neutrality, consistent with our policy prohibiting political or partisan displays. Our goal is a respectful, inclusive learning environment for all students,” an Orange County School District representative told WESH.
Loggans lawyer Anthony Sabatini said the district was not enforcing their policies consistently, and he believes that they targeted the Kirk poster because he was a conservative. He pointed to a poster of former President Barack Obama in another teacher’s classroom. The district denied any bias in their enforcement of their policies.
“When staff is made aware of any situation that is a violation of state law or policy, it is dealt with accordingly and without political bias,” a district representative said.
The teacher said he would like to start a club modeled after Turning Point USA, the conservative political organization Kirk ran, established in his school until an official TPUSA chapter could be established.
The Orange County School District didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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