2nd Mass. school district investigating staffer’s comments on Charlie Kirk’s death
At least two Massachusetts school districts are conducting investigations into staff members’ comments on the recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Sharon Public Schools Superintendent Peter J. Botelho and Sharon High School Principal Kristen M. Keenan announced Thursday that they were made aware of a staffer’s social media post that contained “highly inappropriate and insensitive commentary” about the death of Kirk, who was shot Wednesday while speaking at an event on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem.
“Today, we were made aware of and were extremely concerned about a recent personal social media post by a member of our staff that has been shared publicly in other social media posts,” Botelho and Keenan wrote in a letter to the school community. “We recognize that this post has caused distress for members of our school community.”
Botelho and Keenan didn’t identify the staff member in question, and they didn’t comment on the content of the post, only noting that the views don’t reflect the values of the town’s schools.
“The views expressed in that post categorically do not reflect the values of Sharon High School or Sharon Public Schools. As a district and school, we are and remain committed to fostering an environment grounded in empathy, respect, and thoughtful reflection and dialogue,” Botelho and Keenan wrote. “The post in question is inconsistent with those values, and we are reviewing and addressing the matter in accordance with established district policies and procedures.”
Botelho and Keenan didn’t say if the staff member would face any disciplinary action.
This incident comes as a staff member at Wachusett Regional High School in Holden was placed on leave over another “inappropriate” social media post about Kirk’s killing.
“These comments sparked heated debate, millions of views, and brought into question the safety of school operations for both students and staff at WRHS,” the Holden Police Department said in a statement.
In the wake of the comments, police officers were assigned to patrol the high school campus throughout Thursday out of an abundance of caution.
Police and school officials didn’t reveal what the teacher’s post stated, but screenshots floating around on social media showed the words, “Just a reminder, we’re NOT offering sympathy.”
While investigators uncovered no credible threat, Wachusett Regional School District Superintendent James Reilly and School Committee Chair Lauren Salmon-Garrett announced the teacher will remain on leave “for the foreseeable future and is not allowed on school property” while an investigation is conducted.
“As many are aware, a teacher has been accused of making inappropriate comments in response to this event on her own personal social media page,” Reilly and Salmon-Garrett wrote in a letter to the school community. “Please know that Wachusett Regional School District condemns violence in all forms. Political violence, especially, has no place in our country, and it directly contradicts our nation’s founding principles.”
The incidents in Sharon and Holden both remain under investigation as the manhunt for Kirk’s killer continued Friday morning.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW