Federal judge throws out Texas teachers' lawsuit over Charlie Kirk social media probe

The Texas American Federation of Teachers sued to block Education Commissioner Mike Morath from pursuing teachers who made social-media remarks about the slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The union claimed the August letter to superintendents amounted to a vague, overbroad mandate that led to arbitrary discipline. In an August 21 decision, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright found the letter did not impose a new requirement and dismissed the case.

Agency officials note that hundreds of complaints were investigated, many dismissed as unsubstantiated, and no educator has faced State Board action for Kirk-related speech. Morath and Governor Greg Abbott have warned that calls for violence could result in license suspension, while the TEA maintains the letter merely reminded districts of existing reporting rules. The ruling leaves the agency’s current complaint-handling process unchanged.