Florida teacher told to remove Charlie Kirk image from classroom feels targeted, vows to fight district

Florida teacher William Loggans told Fox News Digital he feels targeted after being forced to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom.

"There's plenty of other posters and flags and stuff in teachers' classrooms in the same school and on their doors that should also be considered controversial or political. But I just feel like I'm being targeted because this is a conservative figure," Loggans said.

Loggans teaches comprehensive law honors and economics at Horizon High School in Orange County School District. 

Loggans says he adorns his classroom walls with various inspirational posters by prominent figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Ronald Reagan. The poster of Kirk included one of his quotes: "Never underestimate the power of your voice and the impact you can have on the world when you speak up for what you believe in."

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Loggans' comments came after a student complained about a Kirk poster he displayed in his classroom that led the Orange County School District to force him to remove it to avoid controversy. The teacher, who said the poster's inclusion on his wall was not a political statement, claimed the school administration admitted that the poster wasn't controversial but demanded it be removed due to Kirk's status as a lightning rod in some circles.

Loggans hired an attorney and filed a grievance against the school, alleging political discrimination. He is hoping he will be allowed to display the poster again, but, if not, he vows to sue the school.

Loggans' legal representation, Anthony Sabatini, told Fox News Digital that he is backing him "because it's not right what they're doing to him - the Orange County school board is out of line."

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The Orange County School District didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 

The district told WESH 2 it believes its decision is in line with policy and in accordance with a memo sent by the Florida commissioner of education addressing social media posts made by school faculty in the wake of Kirk's assassination.

"An educator's personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families they serve. If an educator's conduct causes a student or his or her family to feel unwelcome or unwilling to participate in the learning environment, it may be a violation of Rule 6A-10.081, F.A.C," Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas wrote in a letter.

However, Sabatini pushed back against the district, claiming it is not enforcing its policies consistently, and he believes it targeted the Kirk poster because he was a conservative. 

The district denied any bias in its enforcement of its policies. 

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"We understand many are grieving the tragic death of Charlie Kirk. The district asked that the poster be removed to maintain classroom neutrality, consistent with our policy prohibiting political or partisan displays. Our goal is a respectful, inclusive learning environment for all students," an Orange County School District representative told WESH. 

However, in the social media post announcing the letter, Kamoutsas claimed it was directed at teachers making "disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk" and vowed to investigate them. 

Loggans told Fox News Digital that he is fighting the district to set an example for his students.

"It's not about me. It's about these students. My students are brilliant. They have minds of their own, and I want to help them develop those critical thinking skills, and we talk a lot about standing up for what you believe in," Loggans told Fox News Digital.

"And I know that if I let this go, I'm sending them mixed messages about standing up for what you believe in. So it's about them. It's not about me at all," Loggans said.

The teacher said he would like to start a club modeled after Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the conservative political organization Kirk ran, in his school until an official chapter could be established.

The fallout from Kirk's assassination on Sept. 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University has pushed TPUSA into its greatest prominence yet. The organization has seen an explosion in interest and chapter formations in the weeks since his death.