Former Georgia teacher Michelle Mickens resolved her lawsuit with the Oglethorpe County School District on Wednesday. Mickens had claimed unfair punishment related to comments about Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA founder, following his assassination.
In October, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) initiated legal action on Mickens’ behalf after the school district placed her on indefinite leave and suggested she resign. The controversy stemmed from remarks Mickens made on her private Facebook page in September.
Mickens’ post quoted Charlie Kirk, saying, “I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights.” Her comments sparked debate, leading to allegations of promoting political violence.
“While I’m sad that we live in a country where gun violence is an epidemic, the world is a bit safer without him,” Mickens wrote. “I didn’t respect him at all, and he’s part of the hatred and vitriolic language we hear so much now. I pray that without him, people can be kinder and more tolerant to one another.”
The situation escalated when a former classmate shared Mickens’ post online. School officials initially advised Mickens to delete the post and apologize, but later revoked her access to school emails and placed her on leave.
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mickens received $270,420 for alleged emotional distress and $17,080 for legal expenses in the settlement. She agreed not to seek employment with the district again.
In a statement, SPLC attorney Sam Boyd expressed satisfaction with the settlement, citing the constitutional right to free speech for public school employees.
In the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, several teachers nationwide faced disciplinary actions for comments about the incident. Some have since been reinstated after legal challenges.
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