Texas AFT seeks preliminary injunction in lawsuit over state investigations into educators after the assassination of Charlie Kirk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 26, 2026

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Marco Guajardo, Public Relations Specialist - [email protected]

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Texas AFT seeks preliminary injunction in lawsuit over state investigations into educators after the assassination of Charlie Kirk

The teachers union filed the lawsuit in January of this year

Austin, Texas - Today, Texas AFT President Zeph Capo submitted a declaration in Texas AFT's lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency over TEA's unlawful investigations into Texas educators in the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The union also filed a motion requesting a preliminary injunction from the court.

"Educators don't forfeit their right to engage in free speech simply by virtue of their employment as public school employees. As a result of TEA's policy, Texas teachers have been written up, placed on administrative leave, terminated, and doxxed online," said Zeph Capo, President of Texas AFT. "Now the state is using these investigations to go after educators' certifications, with at least one Texas AFT member being inappropriately placed on the state's Do Not Hire list. State leaders are playing a dangerous game, and Texas teachers are paying the price."

View a sample of redacted threats against Texas educators here

National AFT President Randi Weingarten joined Capo for a virtual press call today to make the announcement.

"Teachers dedicate their lives to their students and deserve support, clarity, and respect-not intimidation or surveillance," said AFT President Randi Weingarten. "Texas officials are inflicting immediate and irreparable harm on educators, which is why we are seeking a preliminary injunction to halt this unconstitutional conduct. Instead of calming tensions after the tragic killing of Mr. Kirk, state leaders chose to weaponize the tragedy to target teachers, damage communities, and undermine students' ability to learn.

"This is a government-backed effort to punish educators for speech they reasonably believed was constitutionally protected. Teaching is a noble and important profession that helps prepare students for all other professions-it's neither thinkable nor appropriate that in a democracy they would lose their constitutional rights simply because they are teaching others. Federal and state officials should be ensuring their rights, not stripping them away," said Weingarten.

The Texas American Federation of Teachers represents 66,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.8-million-member American Federation of Teachers and the AFL-CIO.