Michelle Mickens, a former teacher in Georgia, reached a settlement with the Oglethorpe County School District on July 6, 2026, after claiming she was unfairly punished for comments made about Charlie Kirk following his assassination. Mickens was placed on indefinite leave and encouraged to resign after making remarks on her private Facebook page in September. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) filed a lawsuit on her behalf. Mickens received approximately $270,420 for emotional distress and $17,080 for legal fees, and she agreed not to seek employment with the district again. SPLC attorney Sam Boyd stated that public school employees have a constitutionally protected right to free speech. Following Kirk's assassination, several teachers faced disciplinary actions for their social media comments regarding the event.
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Georgia Teacher Settles Lawsuit with School District for $300,000
Former Georgia teacher Michelle Mickens settled her lawsuit with the Oglethorpe County School District for nearly $300,000 after being placed on leave for comments made about Charlie Kirk's assassination. The settlement includes compensation for emotional distress and legal fees, and Mickens agreed not to seek future employment with the district.
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Georgia teacher receives almost $300k settlement over Charlie Kirk assassination post
Georgia Teacher Settles Lawsuit with School District for $300,000