Iowa special education aide fired over Charlie Kirk comment files lawsuit
A former Knoxville Community School District special education associate has filed a lawsuit after she was allegedly fired over a social media post she wrote about Charlie Kirk after his...
By Fox News · Fox News
A former Knoxville Community School District special education associate has filed a lawsuit after she was allegedly fired over a social media post she wrote about Charlie Kirk after his assassination. Stacey Sumpter, a former special education associate, sued Knoxville Community School District and its superintendent, Cassi Pearson, after she was fired on Sept. 12, 2025. While off duty on the day Kirk was assassinated, Sept. 10, 2025, Sumpter wrote a post on her personal Facebook that drew the ire of community members. "Normally I would say Auf wider sehen; but since that technically means ‘til I see you again’… So since I never wish to see you again, to you; I say goodbye," she wrote, according to the complaint . The comment was made in response to a photo with a list titled "Things to remember about Charlie Kirk" followed by a list of claims against the slain activist. PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS FACE BACKLASH FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION Her attorneys argue that while the assassination dominated headlines and was the subject of widespread debate, Sumpter's statement was "a personal, private expression of her viewpoint." They added that her comment "did not threaten anyone, did not incite imminent unlawful action or violence, and was not directed at any member of the school community or broader community." Furthermore, they noted that the post did not mention where Sumpter worked and did not connect her to the school as it did not occur during work hours or a classroom and was not made with school resources. The complaint alleges that on Sept. 11, 2025, "community members contacted the district demanding punishment for the content of Ms. Sumpter's speech." The former educator's attorneys noted that she attended work that day as usual and the post was not mentioned. That day, according to the complaint, "Principal Jory Houser called Ms. Sumpter into his office over lunch and notified her that the District had been receiving complaints ab…