The Martin County School Board voted Oct. 21 to refer suspended teacher Matt Theobald’s case to a state hearing, where he will have the opportunity to respond to potential termination.
Theobald, a teacher for 17 years who was teaching at Spectrum Academy prior to his suspension, was removed from his teaching duties for online comments he made about the late Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated on Sept. 10.
Some of his comments included referring to Turning Point U.S.A., Kirk’s conservative organization, as the “modern day Hitler youth.”
Per state direction, any educator who made inflammatory comments toward Kirk would face disciplinary action. An investigation conducted by the Martin County School District determined that Theobald acted inappropriately with his comments.
Though Theobald’s representation argued that his First Amendment rights should not be violated, the investigative report determined that educators have a level of responsibility for what they say publicly, and that his comments were a cause for concern. Superintendent Michael Maine recommended termination.
An outpouring of support for Theobald was seen at the last Martin County School Board meeting and continued into the meeting on Oct. 21.
The first to speak in Theobald’s favor was Yoel Reyes, a student of Theobald.
“I was a student of his and he was a phenomenal man and a great teacher as well,” he said.
Reyes requested that Theobald be reinstated as a teacher at Spectrum Academy.
“I’d ask that you put Mr. Theobald back in his classroom at Spectrum Academy,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of hostility towards him, but he was a good man and still is and always will be.”
Another resident, Ashley Knowles, also spoke in support of Theobald.
“I’m not a far-left leaning hippie. I just want to let you know there are moderates and conservatives who are unhappy with what this board is doing,” she said.
Not all those in attendance shared the same sentiment, however. One resident, Elizabeth Crane, said that without knowing who Theobald was, she found his comments disturbing.
“Those who know him know him a fuller way than what I read was very disturbing,” she said. “It was basically, ‘if you don’t agree with somebody, it’s okay that they’re assassinated.’”
Barbara Twigg, another resident, also voiced her opposition to Theobald’s reinstatement.
“The thing I’m very concerned about are the students. There are Turning Point U.S.A. chapters in the Martin County School District,” she said.
Martin Powell, the attorney representing Theobald, also spoke, asking to submit the case elsewhere and accusing the board of political bias.
“Submit this to the Department of Administrative Hearings for a third party, someone who’s not involved in this situation, someone who’s not even an appearance of impropriety to hear this case,” he said.
After hearing from the public, the school board turned to School Board Attorney Anthony George, who explained the terms of Theobald’s request for a DOAH hearing.
“If you are all going to hear it, it creates a 60-day clock for you to hear it,” he said.
George said that would put the deadline for the board to hear it at Dec. 8. If DOAH were to hear it instead, the case likely wouldn’t be heard until early next year, as they are not subject to the same 60-day requirement.
School Board Member Christia Roberts expressed concern about conducting the hearing themselves without knowing what the Florida Department of Education will decide in its own investigation under the state’s directive to discipline educators who spoke ill of Kirk.
“I think it’s more prudent to have it heard by the DOAH by a judge who’s versed exactly in what the issue is, who can interpret what that professional standards language is, and deal with it that way,” she said.
Board Member Marsha Powers opposed that idea.
“This is a local issue. I think that this doesn’t necessarily tie to the actions of the DOE. Terminations happen in school districts without a loss of license,” she said. “Mr. Theobald is an employee of the Martin County School Board, and I feel this should be heard in the community that we represent.”
A vote was passed to defer the case to DOAH, with two of the board members voting against the motion.