Florida teacher forced to remove Charlie Kirk poster after complaint

A Florida teacher claims he was forced to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom after a student complained; He said this move was political discrimination.

William Loggans, who teaches comprehensive law and economics courses at Horizon High School in Orange County. said NBC affiliate WESH 2 was ordered to remove a poster featuring Kirk and one of his quotes after a student objected.

Loggans said he adorns his classroom walls with inspirational posters of prominent figures, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Rosa Parks and Ronald Reagan. The poster featured a picture of Kirk and 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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Stating that placing the poster on his wall was not a political statement, the teacher claimed that the school administration accepted that the poster did not cause controversy, but that some circles wanted it to be removed due to Kirk’s lightning rod status.

“They acknowledged that the poster didn’t say anything controversial and was inspirational, but Charlie Kirk was a controversial political figure and should be taken down,” Loggans told WESH 2.

Loggans hired an attorney and filed a complaint against the school, alleging political discrimination. He hopes he will be allowed to display the poster again, but vows to sue the school if he is not allowed.

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The school told WESH 2 they believe their decision was in line with district policy and a memo sent by the Florida Commissioner of Education regarding social media posts made by school faculty in the wake of Kirk’s assassination.

Florida Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas said, “An educator’s personal opinions made public can undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. If an educator’s conduct causes a student or their family to feel unwelcome or unwilling to participate in the learning environment, this may be a violation of Rule 6A-10.081, FAC.” wrote in a letter.

But in a social media post announcing the letter, Kamoutsas claimed the letter was directed at teachers who “made disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk” and promised to investigate them.

The school district cited a letter from Florida Department of Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas as the reason for its decision. (Getty)

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Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on September 10 while answering a question from an audience member about transgender mass shooters. Tyler Robinson, the alleged murderer of Turning Point USA co-founder, had a transgender partner and allegedly sent a message that read, “Some hates are non-negotiable.”

A representative from the Orange County School District told WESH: “We understand that many people are saddened by the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. The district requested 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.”

Loggan’s attorney, Anthony Sabatini, said the district has not consistently enforced its policies and believes they targeted the Kirk poster because he is conservative. He pointed to a poster of former President Barack Obama in another teacher’s classroom. The district has denied any bias in the implementation of its policies.

“When staff are notified of any situation that violates state law or policy, it is addressed appropriately and without political bias,” a district representative said.

The teacher said he wanted to establish a Turning Point department at his college. (Alex Wroblewski/Getty Images)

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The teacher said he wanted to start a club at his school modeled after Turning Point USA, the conservative political organization that Kirk runs, until an official TPUSA chapter was established.

The Orange County School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.