By Carly Newton – Press Republican
A teacher at Beekmantown Central School District has been placed on administrative leave after a social media post he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death earlier this week went viral.
Kirk, known for his right-wing views and use of the Christian faith in political debate, was shot and killed Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Kirk was on campus as part of his conservative political advocate company, Turning Point USA’s “The American Comeback Tour.”
At these campus events, Kirk debates students on a variety of societal and political issues. While he was answering a question from a student Wednesday, Sept 10, Kirk was shot in front of hundreds of students in attendance.
After the news of Kirk’s death was made public, Jeremy Hoy, a math teacher at Beekmantown High School, shared a photo of Kirk on his personal Facebook account with an expletive-filled message about Kirk’s public comments against women and the LGBTQ+ and Black communities. Screenshots of the post were shared across Facebook Thursday, Sept. 11.
Asked the same evening if the district was planning on pursuing any disciplinary action for Hoy, Superintendent of Schools Dustin Relation said an educator had been placed on administrative leave.
As a follow-up, the Press-Republican asked Relation to confirm Hoy was the teacher placed on administrative leave. Relation responded, “At this time, I am unable to provide further information and ask that you refer back to the statement that I provided.”
As of Friday, Sept. 12 the post could no longer be found, along with Hoy’s Facebook account. According to Hoy’s LinkedIn profile, he has taught at Beekmantown since 2005.
“Earlier today, we became aware of comments made by a Beekmantown Central School District employee regarding the tragic death of Charlie Kirk in Utah,” the original statement from the district noted. “These remarks, posted on a social platform, were inappropriate and insensitive, and do not reflect the values of our school community.
“We have heard from a large number of parents, students, and community members who voiced their disappointment and concerns. We are grateful to be part of a community that values compassion, respect, and thoughtful dialogue, and we recognize the importance of reflecting those values in everything we do as educators.
“The District is reviewing this matter and will follow established policies and procedures to address it. While this process is underway, the employee has been placed on administrative leave.
“Because this involves a personnel issue, we are not able to provide additional details at this time, but please know that we take this matter seriously and remain committed to maintaining a respectful, supportive environment for all students and families. We share your commitment to kindness, empathy, and respect, and affirm that these are core values we must uphold and model for our students.”
