ST. CHARLES COUNTY — A longtime Wentzville School District teacher is on leave after writing a Facebook post that alluded to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Lennelle Gilpin, a seventh-grade social studies teacher at North Point Middle, was put on administrative leave this week following public pressure for her firing.
Gilpin did not cite Kirk by name in the post, but suggested controversial rhetoric was not justified through religion.
“And, just so everyone is aware, the Lord indeed does not say ‘well done’ to racist, homophobic, misogynists that use their vast platforms to spread hate,” the post read. “When you bear no fruit of the Spirit, you have not been a faithful servant.”
Public and private employees nationwide have felt the squeeze of an increasingly charged environment following the shooting of Kirk, a conservative commentator and podcast host who founded Turning Point USA, a nonprofit for young conservative voters.
People are also reading…
Vice President JD Vance has of people who celebrated the far-right activist’s death.
Anyone from university professors to a — as well as another local educator in Jefferson County — have been disciplined for comments perceived as inappropriate in the aftermath of Kirk’s killing. The crackdown has sparked debates on the scope of free speech.
A high school English teacher at Columbia High School in the Metro East resigned under pressure after posting a quote from Kirk on her Facebook page, the .
On Thursday, University of Missouri-ӣƵ officials sent an email to employees on how to exercise their right to free speech “responsibly,” saying employees “do not have unlimited rights to speak as citizens on matters of public concern.”
“If an employee’s speech can cause disruption such as workplace disharmony, impeded performance or impaired working relationships, the university’s interest in the efficiency of its operations may outweigh the employee’s rights of free expression,” the email read.
In the Wentzville situation, Gilpin has taught in the district for 22 years — her entire career — according to the Post-Dispatch’s public pay database.
The post was only viewable to Gilpin’s Facebook friends. Critics disseminated her writing through screenshots.
Gilpin’s social media pages came under the scrutiny of district parents, and elected St. Charles County officials earlier this week.
U.S. Rep. Bob Onder on social media: “Another teacher-activist-Wentzville NEA official celebrating death of Charlie Kirk.”
St. Charles County Sen. Nick Schroer also chimed in: “Another government school educator allegedly posting terrible hate on social media,” he .
Gilpin did not return requests for comment. A message sent to her school email Thursday night was returned with an automatic reply.
“I am currently out of the building,” it read. “I will respond to your email upon my return.”
Multiple parents spoke in support of Gilpin at a Wentzville school board meeting Thursday night.
Amanda Knittel, whose daughter attends seventh grade at North Point Middle and had Gilpin as a teacher, said her daughter’s “wonderful” start to the school year had been soured when Gilpin was replaced with a substitute.
“Yesterday, on Constitution Day of all days, my daughter didn’t learn about the promise of free speech,” Knittel said. “She learned that rights can disappear if enough people get angry.”
Another parent, Jessica Liebmann, described the criticism surrounding Gilpin as a “coordinated doxing campaign.”
“My concern isn’t her words, but the responding call to action for retaliation,” Liebmann said.
Jen Olson, a Wentzville school board member elected on a conservative platform in 2023, also spoke during the meeting’s public comment period.
“There are a lot of people who legitimately feel that some of their peers, friends, colleagues and loved ones would dance on their graves if they were the ones who were murdered instead of Charlie,” Olson said. “This is unacceptable.”
In a statement, Wentzville School District did not address questions about Gilpin’s leave, including how long it would last and what policies she may have violated.
The district said opinions shared by staff on personal social media accounts do not represent the views of WSD.
“We are aware of community concerns that have been raised and, consistent with the law and board policy, we are reviewing the matter through the appropriate processes,” the statement reads. “Because this involves a personnel matter, the district is unable to comment further.”
