SPLC Files Complaint for Georgia Teacher Over Charlie Kirk Comments

The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit supporting a Georgia teacher who said “the world is a little safer without him,” referring to Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA who was murdered in September.

He lawsuitfiled by the SPLC and the Georgia Educators Association on behalf of Michelle Mickens, an Oglethorpe County High School teacher, alleges that her free speech rights were violated by posting that the world was “safer” without Kirk.

In response to a post that Mickens, a 2022 Georgia Teacher of the Year finalist, made about Kirk, he wrote, according to the lawsuit: “While it saddens me that we live in a country where gun violence is an epidemic, the world is a little safer without him. I didn’t respect him at all, and he is part of the hate and vitriolic language we hear so much now. I pray that without him, people can be kinder and tolerant.” each other.”

Turning Point USA co-founder and CEO Kirk, 31, was shot and killed on September 10 while speaking at Utah Valley University during his American Comeback tour.

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The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a complaint supporting a Georgia professor who said “the world is a little safer without him,” referring to Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was murdered in September. (skynesher/Getty Images)

On Monday, the SPLC and the Georgia Educators Association filed the lawsuit, alleging that Mickens’ First Amendment rights had been violated, saying that “in September 2025, she was placed on indefinite leave and urged to resign for engaging in private discourse outside the workplace on her personal social media account regarding matters of public concern.”

The lawsuit alleges that a former classmate of Mickens from out of state took a screenshot of her post criticizing Kirk and then circulated it online, which was eventually shared with her school.

“The post did not disrupt his school or create a controversy within his workplace,” the complaint reads. “The decision to remove Ms. Mickens from her classroom has been the only disruption to the school’s operations. Still, the defendants have placed her on indefinite paid suspension pending termination of her employment due to her constitutionally protected speech and, although they have not served notice of charges, they have made clear that they intend to terminate her.”

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On Monday, the SPLC filed a complaint alleging that Mickens’ First Amendment rights had been violated, saying that “in September 2025, she was placed on indefinite leave and urged to resign for engaging in private, non-workplace speech on her personal social media account on matters of public concern.” (Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)

The SPLC asks that Mickens be reinstated to her teaching position, “compensation for lost wages and benefits, emotional distress, reputational harm, and other damages caused directly by the defendants’ unlawful actions,” and that her attorneys’ fees and court costs be covered.

The SPLC referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Michael Tafelski, acting deputy legal director of the SPLC, saying that Mickens is being “targeted” for her personal beliefs.

“This case is about resisting growing attempts to exert ideological control over public education,” Tafelski said.

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The SPLC referred Fox News Digital to a statement from Michael Tafelski, acting deputy legal director of the SPLC, saying that Mickens is being “targeted” for her personal beliefs.

“Mrs. Mickens is being attacked not because she violated any policy or harmed students, but because her personal opinions, expressed outside of the classroom, do not align with those in power,” Tafelski added. “This unconstitutional censorship of protected speech endangers a healthy democracy. We look forward to standing up for Ms. Mickens to ensure she can continue to serve her students, as she has for decades, without fear of politically motivated retaliation.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Beverley Levine, superintendent of the Oglethorpe County school system, said: “The School District became aware of this lawsuit on Monday night. While many of the facts stated in the lawsuit and press statements on behalf of the plaintiff are inaccurate or incomplete, having been sued in federal court, the District prefers to litigate the issues in that forum and not in the press or in the public. “The District is confident that it will be able to prevail in its defense against this litigation.”