CITY COMMISSION BACK IN 2020. HER HUSBAND IS CHARGED WITH MURDER. NOW TO THE HEARING FOR MARTIN COUNTY TEACHER WHO POSTED CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS ABOUT CHARLIE KIRK ON SOCIAL MEDIA. JOLIE RODRIGUEZ HAS BEEN COVERING THIS STORY FROM THE START. SHE IS AT THE MARTIN COUNTY COURTHOUSE WITH THE DETAILS. THE FIRST DAY OF THIS HEARING, BOTH SIDES LAID OUT THEIR ARGUMENTS ON WHETHER THIS CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENT CROSSED A LINE IN COURT THURSDAY, THE MARTIN COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ARGUED THIS CASE IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS BUT ABOUT COMMENTS MADE ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING CHARLIE KIRK’S DEATH. THE DISTRICT SAYS THOSE COMMENTS VIOLATES POLICY AND RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER STUDENTS WITH VIEWS SIMILAR TO KIRK’S, INCLUDING STUDENTS INVOLVED IN TURNING POINT USA, COULD EXPECT FAIR TREATMENT IN THEOBALD’S CLASSROOM. ATTORNEYS FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD ARGUED THAT AS A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, THEOBALD HAD A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL STUDENTS AND THAT HIS PUBLIC COMMENTS COULD UNDERMINE TRUST IN HIS ABILITY TO TEACH FAIRLY. BUT THEOBALD ATTORNEY PUSHED BACK, SAYING, THIS CASE IS REALLY ABOUT DISCOMFORT WITH AN OPINION. THE DISTRICT DID NOT LIKE. THE DEFENSE ARGUES THE COMMENT WAS MADE ON THEOBALD’S PERSONAL FACEBOOK ACCOUNT UNDER HIS MOTHER’S POST, AND SAYS THERE HAS BEEN NO DISRUPTION TO SCHOOL OPERATIONS TIED TO THE COMMENTS ITSELF. SYED ALSO ARGUED THE DISTRICT’S OWN PUBLIC POST ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION CREATED A MUCH LARGER REACTION ONLINE. AFTER OPENING STATEMENTS, THE DISTRICT BRIEFLY CALLED THEOBALD TO THE STAND, QUESTIONING HIM ABOUT HIS ROLE AS A TEACHER AND HIS POSITION AS A UNION PRESIDENT. THE DISTRICT ALSO CALLED CHIEF OF SAFETY AND SECURITY FRANCESCO FRANGELLA, WHO TESTIFIED ABOUT HOW THE COMPLAINT WAS REVIEWED AND HOW THE DISTRICT DECIDED WHETHER TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION. THIS HEARING IS EXPECTED TO LAST THROUGHOUT THE REST OF TODAY. ANY UPDATES REGARDING THE CASE CAN BE FOUND ONLINE, ON AIR OR ON OUR W
Florida judge recommends reinstating teacher after social media posts about Charlie Kirk
Updated: 8:18 PM EDT Jun 17, 2026
A Florida judge made a recommendation on whether a public school teacher on the Treasure Coast should keep their job following social media posts after Charlie Kirk’s death.Administrative Law Judge Jodi-Ann V. Livingstone of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings recommended on Wednesday, June 17, that the Martin County School Board rescind Matthew Theobald’s suspension and termination. The judge recommended the school board award Theobald back pay and benefits.Livingstone wrote in her recommendation that the school board failed to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Theobald engaged in immorality or willful neglect of duty.”The evidence presented at the final hearing does not show that Mr. Theobald’s actions were inconsistent with the standards of public conscience or good morals or that he brought the teaching profession into public disgrace. There was no evidence that demonstrated that Mr. Theobald’s ability to serve his community was impaired by his comments. Mr. Theobald’s actions do not constitute immorality or willful neglect of his duties, as defined by rule,” Livingstone wrote.She added that Theobald’s comments on Facebook did not disrupt his students’ learning environment or reduce any teacher’s ability to teach.Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 NewsLivingstone noted the school district did not prove Theobald failed to make reasonable effort to protect his students from conditions harmful to their learning, mental or physical health, or safety.”The District is in receipt of the judge’s recommendation and it will be formally reviewed and considered by the School Board at a meeting that has yet to be determined,” a spokesperson for the Martin County School District said in a statement to WPBF 25 News on Wednesday, June 17.Kirk, a conservative activist, was shot and killed during an outside event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025. On the same day, there was a school shooting at Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado.On Sept. 11, 2025, Theobald, a social studies teacher with the school district for 17 years, posted three separate comments about Kirk on his mother’s Facebook page while he was off duty from his job:“The man created Turning Point U.S.A., which is literwlly the equivalent of a modern-day Hitler Youth organization, and people are mourning him like he’s some sort of a folk hero. I just don’t get it… apparently it’s tragic when their guy gets killed, but it was completely ok for that same guy to threaten my life and the lives of my family members just because we don’t share his political ideology?!?! Come on, man.”“I legitimately knew nothing about him until I heard he was shot, but the more I’m learning, the more I realize he was not a good guy. He was a racist, misogynistic, fearmongering neo-nazi who used religion to justify all of the evil things hes said and done. The Bible called those folks Pharisees, and they were the once Jesus preached against. So in this scenario, WWJD… well, I can’t imagine he’ll be greeting him at the pearly gates anytime soon.”“I think the real question is how are those kids going to grow up knowing that their father was a racist, misogynistic, fear-mongering, xenophobic neo-nazi???”The post by Theobald’s mother noted that Kirk’s shooting received more public attention than the shooting at Evergreen High School.Court documents note that Theobald’s comments were collected by a third party, edited and shared on social media.According to court documents, Heather Lundstrom, a teacher at Murray Middle School contacted Sherry Richardson, the school district’s Director of Professional Standards and Employee Relations, to complain about Theobald’s comments, which she characterized as “hate speech” and was sickened by what Theobald wrote.Court documents indicate that she discovered the comments in a Facebook group.On Oct. 7, 2025, the Martin County School Board voted to impose a suspension against Theobald, who was a teacher at Spectrum Academy in Stuart, without pay and recommended termination.Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.The judge noted that the school district has a record of “progressive discipline” toward employees, but in this case, that was not administered to Theobald.On Oct. 8, 2025, Theobald contested the suspension and proposed termination. The matter was forwarded to the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings on Dec. 22, 2025.WPBF 25 News attempted to contact Theobald for a comment and is awaiting a response.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —
A Florida judge made a recommendation on whether a public school teacher on the Treasure Coast should keep their job following social media posts after Charlie Kirk’s death.
Administrative Law Judge Jodi-Ann V. Livingstone of the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings recommended on Wednesday, June 17, that the Martin County School Board rescind Matthew Theobald’s suspension and termination.
The judge recommended the school board award Theobald back pay and benefits.
Livingstone wrote in her recommendation that the school board failed to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Theobald engaged in immorality or willful neglect of duty.
“The evidence presented at the final hearing does not show that Mr. Theobald’s actions were inconsistent with the standards of public conscience or good morals or that he brought the teaching profession into public disgrace. There was no evidence that demonstrated that Mr. Theobald’s ability to serve his community was impaired by his comments. Mr. Theobald’s actions do not constitute immorality or willful neglect of his duties, as defined by rule,” Livingstone wrote.
She added that Theobald’s comments on Facebook did not disrupt his students’ learning environment or reduce any teacher’s ability to teach.
Your neighborhood: Local coverage from WPBF 25 News
Livingstone noted the school district did not prove Theobald failed to make reasonable effort to protect his students from conditions harmful to their learning, mental or physical health, or safety.
“The District is in receipt of the judge’s recommendation and it will be formally reviewed and considered by the School Board at a meeting that has yet to be determined,” a spokesperson for the Martin County School District said in a statement to WPBF 25 News on Wednesday, June 17.
Kirk, a conservative activist, was shot and killed during an outside event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.
On the same day, there was a school shooting at Evergreen High School in Evergreen, Colorado.
On Sept. 11, 2025, Theobald, a social studies teacher with the school district for 17 years, posted three separate comments about Kirk on his mother’s Facebook page while he was off duty from his job:
“The man created Turning Point U.S.A., which is literwlly the equivalent of a modern-day Hitler Youth organization, and people are mourning him like he’s some sort of a folk hero. I just don’t get it… apparently it’s tragic when their guy gets killed, but it was completely ok for that same guy to threaten my life and the lives of my family members just because we don’t share his political ideology?!?! Come on, man.”
“I legitimately knew nothing about him until I heard he was shot, but the more I’m learning, the more I realize he was not a good guy. He was a racist, misogynistic, fearmongering neo-nazi who used religion to justify all of the evil things hes said and done. The Bible called those folks Pharisees, and they were the once Jesus preached against. So in this scenario, WWJD… well, I can’t imagine he’ll be greeting him at the pearly gates anytime soon.”
“I think the real question is how are those kids going to grow up knowing that their father was a racist, misogynistic, fear-mongering, xenophobic neo-nazi???”
The post by Theobald’s mother noted that Kirk’s shooting received more public attention than the shooting at Evergreen High School.
Court documents note that Theobald’s comments were collected by a third party, edited and shared on social media.
According to court documents, Heather Lundstrom, a teacher at Murray Middle School contacted Sherry Richardson, the school district’s Director of Professional Standards and Employee Relations, to complain about Theobald’s comments, which she characterized as “hate speech” and was sickened by what Theobald wrote.
Court documents indicate that she discovered the comments in a Facebook group.
On Oct. 7, 2025, the Martin County School Board voted to impose a suspension against Theobald, who was a teacher at Spectrum Academy in Stuart, without pay and recommended termination.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The judge noted that the school district has a record of “progressive discipline” toward employees, but in this case, that was not administered to Theobald.
On Oct. 8, 2025, Theobald contested the suspension and proposed termination.
The matter was forwarded to the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings on Dec. 22, 2025.
WPBF 25 News attempted to contact Theobald for a comment and is awaiting a response.