McFate

TRAER — North Tama vocal music teacher Christine “Chris” McFate has resigned.

During the Monday North Tama school board meeting, McFate’s resignation letter and separation agreement were accepted by the board unanimously (David Boldt was absent) following a closed session that lasted more than 20 minutes. After the meeting, the newspaper confirmed with Sara Forrester, school business official and board secretary, the motion, which did not mention an employee by name, pertained to McFate.

Prior to her resignation, the district was conducting an investigation into a social media post McFate made last month in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot on Sept. 10 while speaking at a public event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. McFate was placed on paid administrative leave on Sept. 12. The decision by North Tama to place McFate on leave was part of a wave of similar action taken by school districts, government entities and businesses across the country against employees who expressed derogatory or seemingly derogatory opinions via social media about Kirk following his murder.

During North Tama’s Sept. 15 school board meeting, several individuals spoke and submitted written comments during the public forum regarding the decision to place McFate on leave, including those in support of her continued employment and those questioning it.

“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,” North Tama Superintendent John Cain said during the Sept. 15 meeting.

McFate was hired by the district in June 2024 to teach K-12 music as well as junior high and high school vocal music. She previously worked for the South Tama County Community School District where she retired in May 2024. Before McFate was hired, North Tama had been without a permanent vocal music teacher since the completion of the 2022-23 school year following the retirement of longtime music teacher, the late Terry Shay.

According to Forrester, the long-term substitute currently covering vocal music will remain in the position for the time being with the district planning to post the open teaching position “in the near future.”

Separation agreement

The newspaper obtained a copy of the Resignation and Separation Agreement made between the North Tama school district and McFate; the agreement was signed by McFate on Oct. 17, and by the board president, Rod Zobel, on Oct. 20.

As part of the agreement, McFate agreed to voluntarily resign effective immediately from all employment contracts with the district. The agreement settles “all actual and potential outstanding issues” between the two parties.

North Tama agreed to pay McFate a monthly payment of $5,702.91 from October through January 2026, plus a one-time lump sum payment of $4,478.58 as payment for McFate’s remaining six months of health insurance, which would have lasted until June 2026. The district also agreed to continue paying single coverage health insurance for McFate through Dec. 31. The payments will be subject to all applicable taxes, FICA and IPERS withholding, as well as any other withholdings required by law.

McFate agreed not to sue the district or any individual employee or school board director “arising out of or attributable to” her employment with the district. The agreement resolves all issues relating to McFate’s employment with the district.

“This Agreement is not and shall not be construed as an admission of anyone’s violation of the District’s policies and procedures; federal, state or local law or regulations or any provision of common law,” the agreement states under the term labeled “No Admission,” while also stating, “A report will not be filed with the Iowa Board of Education, Department of Education, and/or Board of Educational Examiners.”

In her Oct. 17 resignation letter McFate wrote, “In consideration for the Resignation and Separation Agreement this confirms to you that I am resigning from my position with North Tama Community School District effective October 20, 2025.”

Social media post

On Sept. 11, Alison Howard of Traer shared a screenshot of a repost allegedly 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 in April 2023. The 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?”