TRAER — A North Tama teacher has been placed on paid administrative leave while the district conducts an investigation into a recent social media post regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week.

“I am writing to provide an update regarding a personnel matter in the District related to a social

media post made by a member of the [North Tama] staff. Please know that we are carefully reviewing the situation in accordance with Board policy and applicable laws, and working with our legal counsel as we process this situation. Because this is a confidential personnel matter, details cannot be shared. However, I can inform you that the employee involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of our review,” Superintendent John Cain wrote in a letter sent to district parents and families on Friday, Sept. 12, two days after Charlie Kirk, the executive director of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), was fatally shot while speaking at a public event on Utah Valley University’s campus in Orem, Utah.

TPUSA is a conservative non-profit organization founded by Kirk in 2012. The organization’s mission is “to identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets, and limited government.”

This past Monday, Cain confirmed to the newspaper in an email that the staff member in question is teacher Christine (Chris) McFate.

“Chris McFate remains on administrative leave until the investigation is complete,” Cain wrote. “At this point, we have not completed the investigation.”

McFate was hired by North Tama in June 2024 to teach K-12 music as well as junior high/high school vocal music after she retired in May from South Tama County.

On the morning of Sept. 11, Allison Howard of Traer shared a screenshot of a repost purportedly made by McFate on social media (the newspaper has been unable to independently verify McFate’s posting). The repost included a distorted image of Kirk alongside the following quote written in all caps, “I think it’s worth it. I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the second amendment to protect our other god-given rights.”

The quote was attributed to Kirk who was first reported to have made the statement back in April 2023 (as reported at the time by Media Matters for America). The original post McFate is alleged to have shared was made by the account U.S. Department of S***posting – Rise of the Resistance, which wrote above the image of Kirk, “Too Soon?”

“This is disgusting. North Tama Music teacher. Time to let the school administrators and school

board know how we feel about this!” Allison Howard wrote alongside her screenshot of McFate’s reposting.

The decision by North Tama to place McFate on leave is part of a wave of similar action taken in recent days by school districts, government entities, and businesses across the country against employees who have expressed derogatory or seemingly derogatory opinions via social media about Kirk following his murder.

Cain’s Sept. 12 letter to North Tama parents and families further stated, “The safety, well-being, and success of our students remain our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring that our schools continue to provide a safe, respectful, and supportive learning environment for all North Tama students and families. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.”

Public weighs in

During the North Tama school board meeting Monday evening, four individuals spoke during the public forum regarding the decision to place McFate on leave, including Marilyn Bausch, who described herself as a “lifelong educator” and Traer resident of 55 years. After thanking the school board and administrators for their service, she addressed the issues surrounding McFate.

“I understand there is anger about the post on Facebook, which I did not see, from one of our teachers. Emotions are running very high in this country and this community. We citizens have a right to express our opinions about this. You, administrators and school board members, have an obligation to set aside emotion and follow established procedure to find a resolution [inaudible]. I believe you are already handling this in a procedural way. I thank you. I trust you to do the right thing,” she stated while reading from a piece of paper.

Bausch then said she knew the “teacher in question.”

“I have known her as a teacher, a community member, parents and exchange student host parents. I observed great care and respect for students and parents from her [inaudible]. It is my belief that she would never wish harm, condone harm, or knowingly spread harmful messages towards another. I’ve known her (for) about 10 years. She’s a good music teacher. North Tama is fortunate to have her.”

Bausch’s husband Jared Bausch also spoke, stating that both he and Kirk “follow Jesus.”

“I would encourage you to follow Jesus, practice mercy, forgiveness, the understanding that all of us, day in and day out, are in need of forgiveness, forbearance, and mercy.”

Retired North Tama school counselor Teresa O’Meara also spoke in support of McFate. She began her comments by referencing the First Amendment.

“What a gift we have of free speech this evening. What an opportunity to express our beliefs and feelings in person, face to face, not through social media,” O’Meara said before later turning to McFate’s purported posting.

“In my understanding, the repost by the North Tama staff member did not include a personal comment nor is there any indication of the staff member’s opinion … It was simply a repost of what had been repeatedly referenced and appeared in the New York Times, National Public Radio, the BBC, the Independent, among many others.”

O’Meara continued, “This widely-posted image, which has sparked anger among some, can be interpreted in a variety of ways. One of these is the interpretation that it was paying tribute to Charlie Kirk for his willingness to knowingly risk his life for his beliefs. … There were no words added by the North Tama staff member to indicate the specific intentions of her repost. She did not post anything to indicate her beliefs or opinion of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. To act as an angry mob based upon this assumption is to act as a group of people without all the facts.”

The final public comment came from North Tama parent Trudy Massman, who wanted to know what the district was going to do for students whose parents and caregivers no longer wanted their children taught by McFate.

“My assumption, as a parent, is [McFate’s post] wished somebody dead. And I don’t want somebody like that as a teacher around a kid. So my question to you guys is, what are you guys going to do for the children that are not going to be allowed around this music teacher? You guys have another plan for that? Because my kid’s not going to be allowed in that room ever again.”

Massman indicated that her opinion mirrored others in the community.

“So I just hope you guys have another plan for these students that aren’t going to be allowed in that music room ever again. Because my kid and a whole bunch of other kids won’t be allowed around that music teacher for their safety because I don’t want my kid around somebody who wishes somebody dead,” she said.

Cain then read two written comments submitted ahead of the meeting, including one from Allison Howard, who seemingly first brought attention to McFate’s repost.

“Let’s talk the First Amendment. Yes, it gives a person the right to speak and post without the threat of criminal prosecution. You can make vile and disgusting comments and posts. This does not mean your vile and disgusting comments are immune from consequences for this speech,” Cain read aloud in quoting Howard. “Thus it is not uncommon or unreasonable to be fired from a job where you hold the public’s trust. When a teacher’s first instinct after the political assassination of someone she disagrees with is a vile post appearing to celebrate – and yes appearances matter – his murder it is a bridge too far. It shows a lack of humanity and the poorest of judgment. She is entrusted with our community’s greatest commodity, our children. I believe as per Iowa Code and North Tama’s own employee conduct codes, she has forfeited her right to teach at this school.”

The final written comment was submitted by Anthony James Harris who wrote, in part, “We need leaders who lead with integrity and adults who act like adults, especially around impressionable young minds.”

While the school board did not address any of the comments directly, Cain gave a brief statement as part of the superintendent’s report later in the meeting.

“I thank you for being here tonight and expressing your concerns,” Cain said in addressing the room which included roughly a dozen members of the public, several North Tama staff members, Tama County Sheriff Casey Schmidt, and state Rep. Dean Fisher whose district, House District 53, no longer includes Traer following redistricting but does include parts of the North Tama County Community School District.

“Know this is a personnel issue,” Cain continued, “so we will be very limited with any kind of conversation around the topic.” He said that the district sent out a staff communication last Thursday “reminding them of our Board policy that references their First Amendment rights but also holds them accountable to their workplace environment.

“Really not going to be able to say that much more except we appreciate your input, and know this is important to us and we’re taking it seriously.”

In response to Allison Howard’s post on Sept. 11 calling attention to McFate’s reposting, Rep. Fisher made several comments under the post including, “As a state legislator, I’ve had several people from NT contact me about this issue with McFate. I’m going to say that in my humble opinion her post by itself, while disgusting because of the thinking behind it, may not rise to be a dismisable [sic] offense. But, her comment certainly can damage the confidence in her suitability amongst the people of the district as a teacher. The citizens of NT certainly can, and should be vocal on this. Civil and appropriate methods include calling the administrators, principals and superintendents, and calling each school board member. Beyond that, pulling your child out of the classes she teaches is an even stronger statement, and well within your right and reason.”

Fisher continued, “The ‘nuclear option’ is to disenroll your student and homeschool or open enroll to another district. I’m not sure on the timing in that last option. Disenrolling can be particularly impactful in October, there is a particular date that is used for the enrollment snapshot that determines school funding. Schools will not want to risk any funding losses.”

Fisher further commented that legislators “have been chasing down many of these issues with teaching staff at high schools across the state and at the Regents colleges.”

“What bothers me the most about all this is that the culture in our educational system is such that so many feel free to make such disgusting comments. The culture is sick. The legislature has been working for years to tamp down the extremist agenda of the Left by fighting DEI, CRT, gender ideology, etc. We have much more work to do.”

Investigation continues

In response to a question about the district’s next steps in the investigation, Cain told the newspaper Monday afternoon, “We are in the middle of an investigation so it would be inappropriate to share any next steps at this point in time.”

He said it was standard procedure to place individuals on paid leave during an investigation but that “if the investigation warrants unpaid leave, then unpaid leave is applied.”

When asked who was undertaking the investigation of McFate, Cain answered, “The District.”

In regard to the school board publicly addressing the situation during Monday’s meeting, Cain responded, “[T]he administrative team has not completed the investigation so it is premature to have the board involved at this time.”

On Sept. 11, the Iowa Department of Education posted the following statement on social media.

“There are multiple reports of disturbing comments about the assassination of Charlie Kirk that were allegedly made by school personnel. Condoning political or any type of violence is reprehensible and has no place in Iowa education. Our educators are entrusted by families with the care and development of their children. Such behavior does not represent Iowa’s dedicated teachers and should be rejected in the strongest possible terms. Local education leaders are charged with investigating these reports in accordance with their local school board policies and Iowa’s standards of professional conduct and ethics.”