Parents Demand Action After Naples School Staff Member’s Social Media Posts on Kirk Assassination Attempt
Naples, NY – Parents in the naples central School (NCS) community are demanding accountability after a staff member made multiple posts on a personal social media account referencing the recent attempted assassination of Charlie Kirk. The posts sparked widespread outrage adn concern among community members, prompting a formal district response.
In a statement released to the community, district officials acknowledged the concerns and affirmed the district’s commitment to values of “kindness, empathy, compassion, and civility.” the statement read,”It is comforting to know the NCS community valuesโฆthes values which are essential to model for our students.”
the employee in question has been placed on leave pending the outcome of a formal examination, which the district says will follow all established policies and procedures. Officials stated they will not be releasing further details due to the matter being a personnel issue.
Parents expressed strong disapproval of the posts, emphasizing the issue transcends political affiliation. “This is not a political event,” stated parent Don Sutherland. “This is an event of right and wrong, and what’s ethically accepted in our public school system, this is not accepted at all.”
Another parent, John Mickelsen, added, “We want to use this as an example, so that outside of this incident, other people see that this is not acceptable.”
The Naples case is not isolated. The leroy Central School District is also investigating “inappropriate” social media posts made by a teacher regarding the Kirk incident. That teacher reportedly expressed regret and deleted their account.
Legal experts are weighing in on the potential consequences for public employees making controversial posts online. Nicholas Marricco, a senior associate with Tully Rinckey, PLLC, explained that courts typically consider three factors when evaluating such cases: whether the post was part of the employee’s job duties, if it addressed a matter of public concern, and whether it disrupted workplace efficiency. Marricco noted a growing trend of public officials facing job loss over social media activity, with potential challenges to terminations based on first Amendment rights ultimately decided by judges.
Both the Naples and LeRoy school districts have indicated investigations are underway and any further action will be handled internally.
A group of concerned parents, organizing under the name “Turning Point: Finger lakes Region” (and unaffiliated with Kirk’s association), are planning a rally at the Naples Central School this Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. to further demonstrate their concerns and demand accountability.
