After Charlie Kirk’s death, Iowa lawmakers target teachers’ social media posts
By Amanda Rooker
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — The fallout from conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing last year is still rippling through Iowa classrooms and now, through the Statehouse.
Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill that could cost an educator their license over a single social media post. Supporters say it draws a clear line against celebrating politically motivated violence. Opponents warn it crosses a constitutional boundary and could punish protected speech.
House Study Bill 682 would require the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to revoke or deny a license if an educator publicly celebrates an act of politically motivated violence. The bill specifically includes “the unlawful killing of Charles J. Kirk.”
The bill defines “celebrate” as publicly expressing approval, joy, satisfaction, or glee. It gives examples such as “Good riddance,” “One less fascist,” or “He deserved it.” A single verified instance, including on social media, would be enough to trigger discipline.
Education groups told lawmakers that the bill violates protected speech. “It’s a blatant constitutional violation,” Melissa Petersen with the Iowa State Education Association said.
Other opponents said the proposal violates the First Amendment by limiting what teachers can say outside of work.
“It concerns me again that this is one more place where we would be telling someone that because they have chosen to live a life of service to the public schools, they don’t get to have the free exercise of the First Amendment that everyone else does,” said Rep. Elinor Levin, a Democratic state lawmaker from Iowa City.
Petersen pointed lawmakers to a decades-old Supreme Court case.
“In 1987, the Supreme Court decided in Rankin v. McPherson that a public employee could not be held liable for something that they did outside of the workspace, outside of their particular job. So, we think that this is already settled law,” she said.
The debate comes after several high-profile cases in Iowa.
In Oskaloosa, a teacher was fired after posting “1 Nazi down” within hours of Kirk’s death. A judge ruled that was job-related misconduct and denied him unemployment benefits. His federal lawsuit is still pending.
Two other Iowa educators are now suing the state’s licensing board, arguing complaints about their anti-Kirk posts violated their First Amendment rights.
School administrators urged lawmakers Wednesday to let those cases play out before creating a new law.
“Some of the other situations are in the court system, and so there’s going to be differing opinions on that,” Dave Daughton with School Administrators of Iowa said.
The bill does say a license cannot be taken away solely for protected First Amendment speech or for holding a political or religious viewpoint.
If passed, the measure would take effect immediately and apply retroactively to Sept. 10, 2025, the day of Kirk’s killing.
No one at Wednesday’s subcommittee spoke in support of the bill, including the Republican state lawmakers who moved it forward. Rep. Henry Stone, the subcommittee chair, declined to comment.
The Iowa House Education Committee is scheduled to consider the legislation Wednesday night.
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