DUANE SHERRILLEditor

Embattled high school teacher Dr. Monica Blake-Beasley believes the school system is setting a dangerous precedent with their reprimand of her for her social media post after the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

“I feel compelled to express one final concern: I believe we are setting a dangerous precedent by expecting educators to maintain an image of ‘professionalism’ at all times in public spaces-even when off duty, in their own homes, without students, and on personal platforms,” she said in her response to the formal reprimand by the school system. “This expectation has far-reaching implications. If taken to its logical conclusion, it could mean that teachers are no longer free to engage in basic personal freedoms such as dancing in public, attending social gatherings, drinking a glass of wine, or even posting vacation photos in swimwear-let alone voicing informed perspectives on the social issues that matter to them.”

Beasley believes the reprimand is an overreach.

“This kind of overreach not only strips educators of their autonomy, but also threatens to silence the very people who often champion equity, justice, and progress, which are all issues that directly impact the students and communities we serve,” she said in her response to the school system. “At a time when public education is already under intense scrutiny and attack, policies and practices that discourage open dialogue and punish educators for critical thought will only harm school culture and drive good people away from this profession.”

Her comments came in response to a letter of reprimand placed into her permanent file by Tullahoma City Schools. The board found that her posts on social media after the Kirk murder were inappropriate.

“You used grossly unprofessional language,” the reprimand from Director of Schools Dr. Catherine Stephens reads, referring to her allegedly use of the term “FAFO” in a meme she posted following the assassination (F— Around Find Out). “Such language is unbecoming to any member of the teaching profession. Accordingly, I am formerly reprimanding you for your misconduct.”

The director of schools went on to say that use of such language was unbecoming someone in the teaching profession.

“I am satisfied that you understand how ill-considered your word choice was and how the use of f— damaged your credibility as a professional,” she said in the reprimand. “I also believe you understand my expectations for your continued employment in Tullahoma City Schools; you will always conduct yourself in a manner that befits an educator; you will model civility’ and you will elevate, not denigrate the public perception of the profession.”

Beasley countered on the FAFO meme that she felt the use of the turkey meme and the FAFO was a good illustration of the times.

“The acronym ‘FAFO’ was used once, in the meme caption-not typed by me-and was meant to convey a somber observation about consequence,” she said. “In my response to your questions, I referred to the use of the acronym as colloquially blunt, not vulgar, and I believe it’s important to distinguish tone and intent. From my perspective, the turkey meme powerfully illustrated a cycle we’ve seen too often: individuals or institutions walking directly into danger while ignoring warning signs, an image I connected to the larger societal pattern of preventable tragedies. My comment was not made in humor or celebration but as a form of critical reflection.”

Beasley also took issue with the school system’s claim that she had admitted her post was unprofessional and vulgar.

“With respect, I do not believe those statements reflect what I actually said,” Beasley countered. “I did agree that such language would not be professional or appropriate in a classroom setting-an important distinction. However, I did not characterize my off-duty, personal expression as vulgar or grossly unprofessional. That framing represents your interpretation, not an admission made by me. My intention was never to offend or undermine the dignity of my role as an educator, but rather to express, in blunt terms, a deep frustration over senseless violence and the lack of response that follows it.”

She went on to say that members of the school system and public have attacked her character.

“Unfortunately, it’s become clear that some of the initial accusations made against me contain factual misrepresentations and falsehoods, which I can demonstrate if needed,” she said “It is also troubling that individuals in far more senior positions within our organization have made inflammatory or politically charged public statements with no consequences-perhaps because their views align more closely with those now demanding my punishment. The individual most aggressively and initially attacking my character is not connected to our school or district and has made racially inappropriate remarks publicly, including stating that she, a Caucasian woman, identifies as Black because she tans and gets darker in the summer. Her campaign to slander my name has not been rooted in concern for students or professionalism, but rather in personal and political bias. It’s difficult not to see the resulting disciplinary action as disproportionate and influenced by external political pressures, rather than by the actual impact of my actions on students or our actual school community.”

Beasley pointed out that the contents of her meme did not cause issues in the classroom or school.

“The language used in the reprimand, particularly phrases like ‘grossly unprofessional,’ feels unnecessarily severe for an infraction that caused no classroom disruption and originated entirely outside of the school setting,” she said “Considering this is the first concern raised in my teaching career, and that I took steps to address the situation proactively and in good faith, I believe the tone and framing of the reprimand are not reflective of my actual conduct or intent.”

Beasley’s response to the reprimand comes after over a dozen citizens addressed the school board, most concerned about the lightness of the action against the teacher given terminations of other educators and academic leaders around the country who had made social media statements after the Kirk assassination, one of those being a high-ranking member of faculty at MTSU.

The school system reprimand, along with Dr. Beasley’s full response, can be read here: