Judge Recommends Dismissing Case Against Teacher Kelly Brock-Sanchez

A Florida administrative judge has recommended dismissing a state misconduct case against a Clay County teacher who faced the potential revocation of her teaching certificate over a controversial Facebook post celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

In an October 21 ruling, Division of Administrative Hearings Judge Suzanne Van Wyk found that the Florida Department of Education failed to prove Kelly Brock-Sanchez violated state rules. The decision centers on a digital distinction between public declarations and private social media spaces, offering a glimpse into how state regulators police educator speech online.

Teacher Faces Discipline for Social Media Post

The case stems from a social media post made on September 10, 2025. That was the day Kirk was fatally shot by a gunman while speaking at a college in Utah. Brock-Sanchez, an exceptional student education teacher at Ridgeview Elementary School, published a message on her personal Facebook account that read: “This may not be the obituary. We [sic] were all hoping to wake up to, but this is a close second for me.”

State education officials moved quickly to discipline Brock-Sanchez, arguing that her remarks constituted grossly immoral conduct and damaged her credibility as an educator. The core of the Department of Education’s case hinged on the claim that the statement was broadcast on a public Facebook page “for all the world to see.”

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Judge Van Wyk rejected that premise.

Evidence presented during the proceedings showed that Brock-Sanchez maintained a private Facebook account under the name “Kelly SteelMagnolia.” While her profile picture featured her own likeness, the page did not list the school in which she works, and none of her roughly 300 Facebook friends included students, parents, or coworkers—with the single exception of a fellow teacher from her local union.

The post only gained widespread visibility after one of those 300 friends shared it outside of her restricted network. “Though someone decided to more broadly disseminate the post, (Brock-Sanchez) did not make that decision, and the consequences of posting to a ‘public’ account cannot be attributed to her,” Judge Van Wyk wrote in her ruling.

Disruption at Ridgeview Elementary

Even though the post originated on a restricted feed, the digital spillover triggered an immediate physical disruption at Ridgeview Elementary School. The principal reported an overwhelming public reaction, including more than 800 emails, 300 direct comments on the school’s official Facebook page, numerous phone calls, and explicit threats.

The fallout extended directly into the classrooms. Several teachers left campus early that afternoon following threatening phone calls and messages, leading to fallout among faculty and staff the following day. The Department of Education argued that the public outcry necessitated increased campus security that cost the local school district money.

However, the administrative judge noted that the financial and operational fallout was legally tethered to the state’s unproven assertion that the post was public at its inception. Because the Department of Education could not establish that initial threshold, the subsequent disciplinary arguments collapsed.

A Broader Statewide Crackdown

The case is part of a larger regulatory push across Florida following the killing of Kirk. In the immediate wake of the shooting, then-Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas issued a stark memo warning educators against celebrating the death.

“It has been brought to my attention that some Florida educators have posted despicable comments on social media regarding the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk. These few are not a reflection of the great, high-quality teachers who make up the vast majority of Florida’s educators. Nevertheless, I will be conducting an investigation of every educator who engages in this vile, sanctionable behavior.”

Last year, multiple school board members and public school teachers across the state faced similar administrative investigations and threats of disciplinary actions for their online commentary. Several of those educators also had their disciplinary hearings routed through the Division of Administrative Hearings, where judges similarly recommended dismissals.

Yet, these administrative rulings do not carry the final force of a civil court judgment. Under Florida law, decisions rendered by the Division of Administrative Hearings are strictly recommendations. State and local government agencies retain the ultimate authority to accept, modify, or reject the findings.

The Department of Education has not yet announced its final action regarding Brock-Sanchez’s teaching certificate, leaving the ultimate professional fate of the Clay County educator hanging on the agency’s willingness to follow its own administrative judge’s recommendation.

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