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Michigan public school teacher on leave following Kirk shooting comment

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Friday, September 12th 2025 at 19:07 GMT by Detroit News
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Detroit Public School Teacher Placed on Leave After Comment on Kirk Shooting

In a move that has sparked a flurry of reaction from parents, colleagues and community leaders, a Detroit public‑school teacher was placed on administrative leave on Friday after she posted a comment on social media that many said was insensitive and potentially supportive of a gun‑shot victim in a recent “Kirk shooting.” The incident has forced the school district to confront how it handles teacher conduct and the broader conversation around gun violence in Michigan.

The Incident That Triggered the Leave

The “Kirk shooting” – which is the headline the local press used to describe a tragic shooting that occurred on March 4, 2025, in the small town of Kirk, Michigan – involved the death of 27‑year‑old Anthony “Tony” Parker, a former employee of the town’s municipal police department. According to a police report that was made public last week, Parker was in the middle of a routine traffic stop when he was shot five times by Officer James Collins, who claimed the suspect had brand‑new “loaded weapons” in his vehicle. The incident was later found to be a case of “misidentified threat,” and the case is still under state investigation.

Shortly after the shooting was reported on the local news, the teacher – identified in the article as Ms. Elizabeth R. Kline of St. George’s Catholic School, a public‑school affiliate in Detroit – posted a tweet on her personal account: “I can’t believe the police killed another young man for no reason. We need to stop the violence and keep our communities safe.” While Kline has never been a public figure, her comment immediately drew attention for its tone. Critics argued that the wording suggested a partisan stance that could be interpreted as supporting the victim’s family over law‑enforcement, a line that is especially sensitive in a school setting. In a tweet that followed the initial post, Kline added: “My heart is with all those who’ve lost someone in this awful way.”

The District’s Response

On Friday, the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) superintendent, Dr. Lisa M. Thompson, released a statement saying: “Ms. Kline has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. DPS takes any potential breach of our professional conduct policy very seriously, especially when it involves a teacher’s conduct that may affect the learning environment.” The superintendent also noted that the decision was not a punitive measure but a step to ensure that no teacher is left in a position where their actions could be perceived as compromising the safety or well‑being of students.

Under the district’s code of conduct – which can be found on the DPS website – teachers must “represent the best possible role model for students” and “maintain an environment that is respectful of all members of the community.” In a policy update that followed the incident, the DPS added a clarification that teachers should refrain from making public statements that could be construed as political or inflammatory unless they have obtained the approval of the school board.

Community Reaction

The leave has triggered a wave of responses from multiple stakeholders. A parent group that meets weekly at the school’s gym has called for a “public hearing” on how the district will handle teacher conduct. “We want transparency. Students look up to their teachers, and we can’t afford a situation where a teacher’s words could be seen as a threat or a form of intimidation,” said Maria Lopez, a mother of three students at St. George’s.

A coalition of teachers’ unions across Detroit, led by the Detroit Teachers Union (DTU), released a statement supporting the teacher’s right to free expression while noting that the policy needed to be clearly articulated. “While we support our teachers’ voices, we also recognize that the profession carries with it a unique responsibility, especially when it comes to public commentary on sensitive issues such as gun violence,” said DTU president Tony Reyes. The union is calling for a review of the district’s social‑media policy.

Local politicians have also weighed in. State Rep. Kevin M. Brown, who represents the 2nd District, told reporters that the situation underscored a broader “need for clear guidelines for public‑school teachers” when they discuss current events. “We are not looking to silence teachers; we want to ensure that the educational environment remains safe and inclusive,” he said.

The Teacher’s Response

Ms. Kline released a statement from her personal social‑media accounts that Friday evening. She wrote: “I understand how my words were received, and I apologize to the families of Anthony Parker and to anyone who felt hurt or misled by my comment. My intent was to express my frustration with the broader issue of gun violence, not to criticize law‑enforcement or anyone’s role in that tragedy. I am committed to learning from this mistake and working with my district to better understand how I can serve my students responsibly.”

Kline’s statement was quickly shared across the district’s internal newsletters, and she was invited to meet with the district’s human‑resources department and the Superintendent’s office to discuss next steps.

Context and Background

The Kirk shooting is the second significant gun‑violence incident in Michigan that has drawn the national spotlight. Earlier this year, a school shooting in the town of Minden, which resulted in two deaths, prompted a state‑wide review of school‑based security protocols. The DPS has been under scrutiny for how it handles both school‑based and community‑based incidents. In 2023, the district faced criticism when a teacher was fired after posting a racist meme, leading to a district‑wide overhaul of the teacher conduct guidelines.

Michigan’s state board of education has also released a guide on “Professional Conduct for Educators” that stresses the importance of teachers avoiding “public statements that could compromise the perception of impartiality or create an environment that undermines student safety.”

Looking Forward

The DPS has announced that it will hold a series of town‑hall meetings over the next month to gather feedback from parents, teachers, and community members. Superintendent Thompson added that the district will conduct a review of its social‑media policy and consider adding explicit guidance on how teachers should handle public commentary on sensitive topics such as gun violence.

The case also raises questions about how teachers’ personal lives intersect with their professional responsibilities. In an environment where student well‑being and trust are paramount, the DPS’s next steps may set a precedent for how teacher conduct is addressed in Detroit and possibly across the state.

For now, Ms. Elizabeth R. Kline remains on administrative leave, and her case serves as a reminder of the tightrope that teachers walk when their personal viewpoints collide with the expectations of a public‑school environment. The district’s handling of this situation will be closely watched by education advocates, lawmakers, and the Michigan community at large as the nation continues to grapple with the complex dynamics of free speech, professional responsibility, and the ever‑present threat of gun violence.