William Loggans, a teacher from Florida, has opened up about feeling unfairly targeted after being instructed to remove a Charlie Kirk poster from his classroom, as reported by Fox News Digital.
Loggans believes that many other classroom decorations by his colleagues also have political tones but doesn’t see them facing the same scrutiny. He mentioned, “There are multiple posters and flags in the teachers’ rooms that could be seen as controversial, yet I feel singled out simply because Kirk is a conservative figure.”
Currently, Loggans teaches honors comprehensive law and economics at Horizon High School under the Orange County School District.
His classroom is decorated with inspirational posters featuring influential personalities like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Ronald Reagan. The poster he was told to remove featured one of Kirk’s quotes stating, “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.”
After a student raised a concern about the Kirk poster, the district ordered Loggans to take it down to avoid any backlash. Loggans recounted that the administration itself noted the poster wasn’t controversial but insisted on its removal because of Kirk’s polarizing reputation.
Loggans then decided to take legal action. He’s filed a grievance against the school, alleging that he’s facing discrimination based on political views. He wishes to display the poster again and has made it clear that he is ready to fight back legally if it comes down to it.
His attorney, Anthony Sabatini, has shown full support for Loggans saying, “What’s happening to him isn’t right — the school board is crossing a line here.”
The school district hasn’t responded to media inquiries promptly.
The district communicated to WESH 2 that their decision was made in line with district policies, referring to a memo from the Florida education commissioner regarding faculty social media interactions in light of Kirk’s recent death.
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas wrote in a letter emphasizing, “If an educator’s public views disrupt the trust of their students and families, this might breach Rule 6A-10.081, F.A.C.”
While Sabatini argues that the policies aren’t being applied uniformly, claiming Loggans was targeted because of his display related to a conservative figure, the school district denies any bias in their actions.
According to a district representative, “We understand the community is deeply affected by the recent tragedy involving Charlie Kirk. We preferred removing the poster to ensure classroom neutrality, aiming to foster a respectful and inclusive learning environment for all.”
Additionally, in context to the digital posts inciting strong reactions to Kirk’s demise, Kamoutsas asserted that they will be probing into any misconduct by the teachers making such declarations.
Loggans expressed that he wants to stand up against the district not just for himself but for his students. “It’s crucial for them to learn how to articulate their beliefs and understand the importance of their voices. If I back down now, I risk sending them mixed signals about advocacy and standing true to one’s beliefs. It’s about them, not me,” he asserted.
Moreover, Loggans is also contemplating establishing a club at his school inspired by Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the right-leaning organization led by Kirk, until they can officially form a chapter.
Following Kirk’s tragic incident on September 10 while he was speaking at Utah Valley University, TPUSA has gained significant traction and new chapter initiations due to the resurgence in interest.
Original article source:Florida Teacher Fights Against Removing Charlie Kirk Classroom Poster
