An Ardmore teacher is under fire after Libs of TikTok reposted a comment made on social media about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Earlier this week, according to the Libs of TikTok post on X (formerly Twitter), the teacher replied to a Facebook post commenting on the unsuccessful assassination attempt, saying "Wish they had a better scope.”
The Libs of TikTok account shared a screenshot of the comment, along with an image of the teacher, in a post that's been viewed 5.5 million times.
Oklahoma state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters shared the post on his X account, commenting that the teacher's comment was "unacceptable" and that "We will not allow teachers to cheer on violence against Donald Trump."
He later posted: "I will be taking her teaching certificate. She will no longer be teaching in Oklahoma."
On July 16, the Ardmore City Schools released a statement, noting that the district has begun a "thorough and swift" investigation into the matter but could not comment on what actions it will take, as it is a personnel matter.
"Ardmore City Schools strongly condemns acts of physical violence and any words that seek to encourage it, no matter their target. It is the goal of the Board of Education, together with the district’s faculty and staff, to educate students in a safe environment free from violent acts and rhetoric," the statement read.
People across the nation have lost jobs after posts about Trump shooting
Across the nation, school employees, a restaurant worker, a fire chief and a political aide have all lost their jobs or resigned after outrage over their posts about the assassination attempt, according to statements by their employers and news reports.
Even celebrities are dealing with consequences. After comments from Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass, Jack Black said he was "blindsided" as he announced he was ending the rest of their tour and would pause any plans to work with Gass again in the future.
Libs of TikTok had screenshotted and posted several instances, many of which resulted in firings or leaves of absence, USAToday reports.
What is Libs of TikTok?
Libs of TikTok has over 3.2 million followers and reposts TikTok videos of users sharing liberal views while adding derisive conservative commentary.
Chaya Raichik, the woman behind the Libs of TikTok social media account, is a former Brooklyn real estate agent who grew up in Los Angeles. She created the @LibsofTikTok handle on Twitter, now X, in April 2021.
The account has become a creator of, and a force multiplier for, right-wing outrage, particularly on LGBTQ+ issues. On X, it has been amplified by the platform’s owner Elon Musk, and a hive of conservative politicians, media personalities and far-right online influencers, including former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and podcaster Joe Rogan.
Raichik was named to an Oklahoma library media advisory committee by state schools Superintendent Walters in 2023.
Can Ryan Walters fire a teacher?
No, firing is under the purview of the district where the teacher works.
Can Ryan Walters revoke someone's teaching license?
Not quite. Revoking a teacher's license is not a unilateral move one person can make, and it's not a quick process. As Oklahoma has seen with Summer Boismier, license revocation can take years.
Boismier resigned from Norman Public Schools in August 2022 after drawing attention to her protest against House Bill 1775, an Oklahoma law that prohibits schools from covering certain concepts on race and gender. In her classroom, Boismier covered shelves with red butcher paper and posted a sign written in black marker that read, "Books the state doesn't want you to read." She also posted a QR code to the Brooklyn Public Library, which gives students online access to banned books.
In June 2024, the Oklahoma State Board of Education voted unanimously to suspend Boismier’s teaching license, but did not revoke it.
The board voted for the license suspension even though an assistant attorney general, during a hearing last June about the issue, ruled the Oklahoma State Department of Education “failed to prove” Boismier had violated any state law.
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