Webb City R-7 Superintendent Brenten Byrd issued a statement today on the social media firestorm that followed high school communication arts teacher Ashley Duke's post following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Her post said, "I don't support what happened to Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk supported what happened to Charlie Kirk."
Duke removed her post, but the criticism continued.
In his statement, which was addressed to " Cardinal Parents," Byrd made it clear that R-7 officials did not approve of Duke's post, though Duke's name is not mentioned in the letter, which is printed below:
The Webb City School District has been made aware of online content posted by a district employee that has generated community discussion and concern. I want to make it very clear that the views expressed in the posts do not reflect the views, values, or positions of the Webb City R-7 School District.
Our commitment as a public education entity centers on cultivating a welcoming, respectful and nonpartisan environment for all students, staff and community stakeholders.
We recognize that personal social media accounts are used to express individual opinions, however, those expressions do not equate to endorsement by the district. Given the confidential nature of employment-related matters, we will not be providing additional details or commentary regarding this issue.
Moving forward, the Webb City School District remains steadfast in its missionto prepare today's youth to meet the challenges of tomorrow's world. We are committed to serving our students and families with excellence while upholding rigorous standards of integrity and professional accountability through all aspects of our operations.
40 comments:
Ms. Duke has been a co-worker for many years. She is a class act. I am disappointed in my district. She is being harassed and treated like a criminal by the community she has supported for many years. Morale is at all time low in the Webb City and this will make it even worse. The school and town will be divided in this issue just like everything in our country right now.
There are many of us that support you, Ms. Duke!
More power to this teacher. The rest of you need to learn how to read.
I can read just fine and the statement issued says the district is moving forward and taking no action. In other words, standard operating procedure for Webb City schools. No one expected anything less. KAWC. Kick (rear end) without class.
Dr. Byrd once again showing that he is a thin-skinned "leader" with no convictions. This rambling and unnecessary letter serves only one purpose, to proclaim to the community: "dont blame me!"
If Dr. Byrd felt it was necessary he should talk to his employee privately and reprimand them for the behavior.
He should then advise his staff of what exactly is and isn't allowed to be posted on social media, and then enforce those guidelines fairly and consistently.
This letter will only entertain further witch hunts like what we are seeing happen now. Dr. Byrd vehemently defended Dr. Pope without question during her controversy, even going so far as telling staff to stop discussing it. In this instance a veteran staff member was quickly shushed and then he publishes this letter? It sends a message, and that message is once again that employees in his district need to hush because it is causing him problems.
Webb City bullied an Afghan kid to death. What did you people expect from them?
Money talks if the people in the Webb City school district kept their kid home for a day or two and they lost all that lunch money, federal, monies, and your support, then administration would actually have to do something. I say pick a day and keep those kids home.
I'm not sure if school lunch is quite the profit fueled racket you believe it is but I may be wrong
So, based on the statements from others across social media on this issue, any teacher who praised Kirk should receive the same treatment. Am I correct in this assumption? Unless, of course, the snowflakes complaining are just full of crap and want to be angry because someone they like was murdered. His death is no more or no less tragic than anyone else murdered in the past week.
This is the problem with our education system. The ONLY thing Ms. Duke is teaching, is that there is no opinion that is valid, except those that align with hers. To even suggest that by offering his opinion, he caused his own death is insane. To have anyone responsible for impressionable kids that thinks this way is educational malpractice.
354, Morale is low so let's make a distasteful public comment as a school teacher during a time where over half the country is grieving an assassination, in a district where a large chunk of the population are more than likely Charlie Kirk supporters. Real class act.... real smart lady...
Low impulse control, low intelligence, wrong politics, that's what we want in an educator.
You are nuts. That child was forced to immigrate here by his snitch father. Could not assimilate (like most immigrants in the past 30 years) and took his own life. The baseball team didn't kill him. Every one of those parents should've sued you. But what would they have gotten? A crappy car and a bag of dirt? Maybe some rainbow dyed dreds?
First, why did Ashley Duke, take down her post, if she felt and stood behind her words? Second, you do have Freedom of Speech, but there are also Consequences for your Words, and your Employers, Schools, Colleges, Hospitals, Businesses, Government Agencies, Military, Taxpayers, Etc., do not have to accept it and can ask for your resignation or fire you on the spot. Maybe you can read that on Social Media - Where all of these People have lost their Jobs and Careers, because of posting their Celebrations, Cheering, Laughing, and Negative Violent Attitudes towards a Person who was only talking about his beliefs, opinions, and debating in a Non-Violent manner, and was Assassinated in front of his Wife and 2-Children - if all you can do is Celebrate, Cheer, Laugh, and Respond in an additional Violent manner - then you are SICK and deserve KARMA, and it has come for you Big Time!
You want to know what you should and should not post on Social Media, Nothing - Since that is Stored, Screen Shotted, and available Forever for every HR Manager and Company, Etc., to see the Rest of your Miserable Lives - So - "Keep your Mouths Shut" - Best Advice Ever, if you want to claim your 15-Minutes of Fame - Go right ahead - see where that gets you. Maybe you think that is Ok in our Woke, DEI, CRT, Pronoun Shaming, Leftist Liberal Society - but America is "FEED UP", with it and are speaking out - and Businesses, Government Agencies, and the World is taking a stance of not putting up with it. Continue your Negative Diatribes and Hate Speech and end up at the Soup Kitchens.
It's not, but they would lose approximately $50 per student per day ADA money
6:18AM, Sounds like you are trying to defend the latest Woke, DEI, CRT, Pronoun Shamers, and Leftist Liberals including their Hate Speech and Violent Actions. Again, post something to your Meta Account and see how long your Employer puts up with it - a Real Test of your importance to that Company or Government Agency. Charlie Kirk was Assassinated for his beliefs, opinions, and non-violent debates in front of his Wife and 2-Children, I did not read about anyone else being Murdered last week in any form like this or because the Assassin, Tyler Robinson, was upset that his Transitioning Male Lover, Lance Twiggs, was having issues, but in the end when confronted Twiggs, turned everything over to police - if so, please enlighten the readership.
Remember, post your opinions, hate speeches, and information on social media and it will bite you in your Azz, lose your job, your career, your lifestyle, don't worry though McDonalds is always hiring, until someone else turns you in. There is freedom of speech, but also consequences to said speech. Just be aware. The nice thing about social media, is that information you post, even if you delete it, is stored in databases, screen shotted, and can be available and used against you the rest of your life. So, keep posting it can only affect your current and future life forever.
As one of the boldest Christian’s of our time who loved Jesus and country, no. He’s not like anyone else. He unapologetically spoke the truth about BOTH. He was Christian fist and foremost (the Ten Commandments, thou shall not kill). So just because he also believed in the constitution (2nd amendment) did NOT mean he condoned being killed. In fact he talked most about not killing the unborn than probably anything else. He believed in LIFE. Making what duke and others like her are saying one of the grossest comments possible. He was human and therefore not perfect. And I’d never lessen the tragic nature of any other murder. Some of it can be blamed on media and what they cover and where. Also some people don’t watch the news bc it’s so depressing and to caused anxiety. So until someone well known is murdered they don’t hear about it. Behind the president he’s probably one of the greatest know names in this country, whichever side you’re on… I’d also guess a lot of the hate is from things he’s said being taken out of context. For example only half the quote on empathy. Watch a debate or some reels. I dare ya.
Nowhere in her statement is even a hint of any glee or approval of his death. It’s a statement of irony..and a truth that by his own words he approved of some nebulous number of deaths as an acceptable price to pay for protecting the 2nd. amendment. Why do people find that so offensive? Double standard much?
Where was the special on the Brown shirts?
>Could not assimilate (like most immigrants in the past 30 years)
I wonder why? Maybe bc hicks like you bring up rainbow shit when no one talked about that. Trans Derangement Syndrome in full effect, you loon.
She needs to be fired immediately!
She needs to be fired immediately!
Why did the coward remove her statement?
Why is the head coward protecting the other coward?
Why did they change the Webb City School website there is no way to contact them other than phone and that’s even if they pick it up.
I have the answer to this, they don’t want anything documented….
And here I thought we lived in a free country where dissenting opinions were encouraged or at least tolerated. Many of my pioneering forefathers, going back 250 years, died for that right. If you don't believe in dissenting free speech, then you don't believe in free speech. Democracy is only ours if we can keep it.
She probably took it down because all of the white trash MAGA haters who despise everyone but straight white people. The same ones who go to church every Sunday and claim to love Jesus but hate everyone else. I assume you're ok with any teacher who sang the praises of Kirk? Such trash.
914 Nope, sorry, you're still wrong. It was distasteful timing, very political, and wrong.
Everyone of you that think she should lose her job are terrible human beings. This has gone way too far. He made a living off “debating people” who didn’t agree with him. When you do that, you take some risk. Obviously no person deserves what happened to him. It was awful and pointless. But Ms. Duke only repeated talking points. She didn’t rejoice. None of you MAGA cared anything about the violence towards democrats over the last year. Violence is not the answer, regardless of which party you support.
There are consequences to every action…
In the United States of America - You are afforded - Freedom of Speech, but Freedom of Speech has Consequences and Accountability - Americans are tired of allowing Woke, DEI, CRT, Pronoun Shamers, and Leftist Liberals to push their Agenda, Lifestyles, and Hate Speech on the Majority of America. We are done looking the other way - If you want to be a Teacher - TEACH, you want to be a DOCTOR, then practice Medicine, but do not use that as a Pulpit for your Hate Speech - if so then you should be facing the unemployment lines.
Ashley Duke, needs to be Fired or Resign - Take your Pick - but get her off the Taxpayer's Rolls - We are tired of supporting Liberal Leftist who Teach Hate Speak - Stand-Up and Make Your Voice Heard. Webb City and Missouri need to get off their Azzes - and Follow Oklahoma's Lead, to ban from the classroom any teacher who “attempts to glorify” the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. - FIRE - ASHLEY DUKE. FIRE - ASHLEY DUKE!
All these "patriots" who support Charlie Kirk are now wanting to suppress free speech when it comes to an educator... Do you even hear yourselves? Do you even believe the things you're saying? The sooner you clowns get out of the conservative party, the better off we will be. You make us all look absolutely stupid.
If you want to be a loser who trolls on the internet be a MAGA
Like Trump having to pay Carroll for raping her. Civil court says yes.
Why should the district take any action? She said nothing wrong. She repeated CK’s point. Get a grip, you all act like he was some saint. He’s just a guy making money off your idiotic support for Trump. Remember Kirk was a never Trumper until he realized how ignorant our country has become and how many morons supported Trump, then the almighty dollar became the most important thing to him.
Fire her ass.
Webb City R-7 Superintendent Brenten Byrd issued a statement today on the social media firestorm that followed high school communication arts teacher Ashley Duke's post following the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Her post said, "I don't support what happened to Charlie Kirk. Charlie Kirk supported what happened to Charlie Kirk."
She made a statement that did not reflect the views of Webb City Schools.
Her employment contract likely included a clause that the employee's actions cannot violate the policies and mission of the school district.
She did so and this was stated by the head of the district.
Thus, she should be terminated.
Just because the MO Education Association, the teacher's union is grumbling does not change that calculus. Private comments are not a defense when it comes to issues of moral turpitude, etc.
313 Sorry, but its too late. We all know the king of double standards is the left, pretty hilarious that 914 tried using it on the right. Nearly every single thing the left believes is completely backwards and this was proven by countless people, including Charlie Kirk. You all have nothing but violence to back your beliefs, because they are not based in truth. Charlie represented your last chance to have a democratic discussion with the right, before all hell breaks loose, and you killed him. And you all cheered. You all have shown your cards. It couldn't be any more clear at this point that we are not on the same team or hold the same values or desires for the future of America. One team wants America to be completely dismantled and rebuilt from the ground up, with any trace of the old America removed. No more God, no more traditional family structure, no more evil whyt people. And one team wishes to preserve what America was originally founded on, what made it one of the greatest nations on Earth, make Christianity a central structure again upon which we base our morals and values, remove degeneracy and filth, create strong families again.
Now its time to correct the issues in this country, which include removing teachers of young children who even show a hint of marxist ideology. "wow what a crazy extreme response to someone that simply repeated talking points." This lady is clearly anti 2A, which is NOT a good start. People who are against guns tend to be left leaning, and left leaning people's puppet strings are always pulled by marxists. You can trace all of the lefts beliefs back to a marxist, every single time, and it is antithetical to the American way.
The right does not want violence, but we can only take so much violence from the left before we're forced to defend ourselves and the country. Sorry, but this is the way of the world.
The same people defending her are the same people who wanted to make me take the experimental Covid “vaccine” , looks like your wrong again
Copied from
Nuria Martinez-Keel Oklahoma Voice on the Turner report
Public schools have “broad authority” to limit educators’ speech both while on the job and outside of work, according to the National Education Association, the nation’s largest teacher union.
Even when an educator is speaking as a private citizen outside of work, a government employer might sometimes limit a teacher’s speech if it is disrespectful or too disruptive, particularly if it sparks protests, complaints from students and families, or criticism from the broader community, according to NEA guidance.
That is absolutely true. Whatever interferes with the student learning is grounds for termination, according to our laws. Her post was ill-advised, although she has a right as an American citizen to her views. What concerns me is the lack of civility, empathy, and understanding I'm seeing here and everywhere else. At least she had the guts to include her name with her opinions, which is more than I can say for everyone else on this thread. Including me. Social media is a poison. The angrier, the more hateful, the more clicks it gets. Consequences be damned. What happened to kindness?
So the ABC television network has suspended the Jimmy Kimmel Show over comments he made in regards to the assassination.
Who knew ABC Television Network was more credible and responsible than the Webb City School District?
The first amendment is now officially dead.
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