A former Georgia public school teacher has received nearly $287,500 as part of a legal settlement after suing her school district over disciplinary action taken following social media posts about the 2025 assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
Michelle Mickens, a former teacher in the Oglethorpe County School District, reached a settlement with the district this week, bringing an end to a lawsuit that alleged her constitutional right to free speech had been violated. She was placed on indefinite leave over comments posted on her private Facebook account.
The controversy began in September 2025 after Kirk was fatally shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University. In a Facebook discussion following the assassination, Mickens criticized Kirk’s political views and wrote that while she did not condone violence, she believed “the world is a bit safer without him.” Screenshots of the exchange later circulated widely on social media, prompting complaints to school administrators.
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According to court records cited by multiple media outlets, Mickens was instructed to remain at home, had access to her school email revoked and was later encouraged to resign. She subsequently filed suit through the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), arguing that the district had unlawfully punished her for speech protected under the First Amendment.
Under the settlement, Mickens will receive approximately $270,420 for alleged emotional distress and $17,080 to cover attorney fees, totaling about $287,500. As part of the agreement, she also agreed not to seek future employment with the Oglethorpe County School District. The district has not admitted wrongdoing.
In a statement following the settlement, SPLC senior supervising attorney Sam Boyd said the agreement reaffirmed that public school employees retain constitutionally protected free speech rights when speaking as private citizens on matters of public concern.
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Mickens’ case is one of several disputes involving teachers and other public employees who faced suspension or dismissal after posting comments about Kirk’s death. In the months following the assassination, a number of educators, firefighters and other public workers were disciplined over social media posts viewed as celebrating or justifying the killing, with some later challenging those actions through legal proceedings.
The settlement adds to the continuing legal and political fallout from Kirk’s assassination, which intensified debates over political speech, public employment and the limits of First Amendment protections for government workers.