State Superintendent of Education Warns School Teachers About Social Media Posts
Disciplinary actions have been taken in systems across the State of Alabama
Reported by Mike Hobson
September 26, 2025
In a letter sent to school superintendents, the leader of Alabama’s Education Department said that “inappropriate” social media posts will result in investigations and disciplinary action.
Superintendent Eric Mackey said the Saturday letter stemmed from what he described as three “inexcusable” social media posts by three Alabama educators about the shooting of right-wing political commentator and talk radio show host Charlie Kirk.
“Almost immediately upon arrival at home, I became aware of two inappropriate, reprehensible and inexcusable social media posts regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk,” Mackey wrote in the letter. “These posts were allegedly created and posted by two of our own Alabama teachers. By the time I went to bed, I had received a third post.”
Alabama Political Reporter first reported the letter. The nature of the posts was not explained. There are 48,670 public school teachers in the state.
Mackey said the posts he was made aware of may violate the Alabama Administrative Code and the Educator Code of Ethics but did not state how, and he said school officials should report any inappropriate posts for investigation.
“I want to make it clear that each instance will be thoroughly reviewed and investigated by our certification team,” the letter said. “If you become aware of any such material allegedly created, posted and/or reposted by your employees, you should immediately report it to the Alabama State Department of Education and work with your legal counsel to determine appropriate disciplinary actions.”
Mackey wrote that he has removed teachers from their positions to ensure student safety.
“In my years as state superintendent, I have removed people from our profession and otherwise reprimanded inappropriate behavior in order to protect our students and to safeguard our profession,” he said in the letter. “I will continue to do so, and I will not tolerate a small group of bad actors to diminish our calling or tarnish our profession.”
Amy Marlowe, executive director of the Alabama Education Association, which represents teachers around the state, said in a statement educators need to “exercise discernment” when posting on social media, and while they have free speech, they still serve in a public position.
“While educators, like all citizens, have a constitutional right to free speech, those rights must be balanced with their professional responsibilities and the operational needs of school systems,”
“AEA will continue to provide resources, training and support to ensure educators remain protected and respected as they carry out their vital mission of educating Alabama’s children,” Marlowe wrote.
In other state news multiple employees at Auburn University were terminated Wednesday for what Auburn President Christopher Roberts described as “insensitive” social media posts.
Roberts wrote in a letter posted to Facebook on Wednesday that the posts were “completely at odds” with the university’s code of conduct.
Bibb County Superintendent of Education Kevin Cotner said there have been no reported issues with inappropriate social media posts in the Bibb County school system. Cotner said that this system encourages school personnel to follow Board policies and adhere to acceptable and ethical conduct when it comes to utilizing social media, even when off duty.
A Hoover City Schools employee was placed on administrative leave after system officials learned of a “divisive and insensitive social media post” on the employee’s personal account.
In Marshall County, another teacher was removed from the classroom pending an investigation into comments made in class.
Earlier this week, a Montgomery Public Schools teacher reportedly faced disciplinary action for comments made on social media about Charlie Kirk.
The school system did not release the employee’s name, school or the nature of the disciplinary action.
In a statement to WSFA, the system said “while educators, like all citizens, have the right to personal expression, they also carry a professional responsibility to model respect, dignity, and sound judgment at all times.”
In a statement, AEA Executive Director Amy Marlowe said her organization will support educators “while reminding members of the importance of exercising discernment when using social media.”
AEA will provide resources, training and support to “ensure educators remain protected and respected” on the job, she said.
“While educators, like all citizens, have a constitutional right to free speech, those rights must be balanced with their professional responsibilities and the operational needs of school systems,” Marlowe said. “It is important for educators to recognize that while they are private citizens, they also serve in a public role.
“Community standards and the impact on the learning environment all factor into how an educator’s social media activity is evaluated. Our goal is to help educators safeguard their careers by adhering to their school system’s social media policy while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.”
We would enjoy hearing from our readers on the subject of teacher and staff conduct in public schools or officials in the public domain. You can leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Sources: Alabama Reflector, Alabama Reporter, AL.com
