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An administrative law judge has ruled that an Iowa school teacher committed job-related misconduct when he posted negative Facebook comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Matthew Kargol worked for the Oskaloosa Community School District as an art teacher and coach until he was fired in September 2025. Kargol then filed for unemployment benefits and the district resisted, which led to a recent hearing before Administrative Law Judge David Steen.

In his written factual findings of the case, Steen reported that on Sept. 10, 2025, Kargol had posted a comment to Facebook stating, 鈥�1 Nazi down.鈥� That comment was posted within hours of authorities confirming Kirk had been shot and killed that day while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.

When another Facebook user commented, 鈥淲hat a s鈥�-y thing to say,鈥� Kargol allegedly replied, 鈥淵ep, he was part of the problem, a Nazi.鈥�

Steen reported that Kargol posted his comments around 5 p.m. and then deleted them within an hour. By 6 p.m., the district began fielding a number of telephone calls and text messages from members of the public, Steen found.

According to Steen鈥檚 findings, the district鈥檚 leadership team met that evening and included Kargol via telephone conference call. District leaders asked Kargol to resign, and he declined, after which the district officials said they were concerned for his safety due to the public鈥檚 reaction to his comments.

The district placed Kargol on administrative leave that evening, Steen found. The next day, district officials fielded roughly 1,500 telephone calls and received 280 voicemail messages regarding Kargol鈥檚 posts.

鈥淭hese calls required the employer to redirect staff and other resources from their normal duties,鈥� Steen stated in his ruling. 鈥淭he employer also requested additional law enforcement presence at school facilities due to the possibility of physical threats, which some of the messages alluded to. The employer continued to receive numerous communications from the public for days after the post was removed.鈥�

On Sept. 16, 2025, Superintendent Mike Fisher submitted a written recommendation to the school board to fire Kargol, with the two primary reasons cited as a disruption to the learning environment and a violation of the district鈥檚 code of ethics. Upon Fisher鈥檚 recommendation, the board fired Kargol on Sept. 17, 2025.

According to Steen鈥檚 findings, the district calculated the cost of its response to the situation was $14,332.10 鈥� and amount that includes the wages of the regular staff who handled the phone calls and other communications.

As for the ethics-policy violation, Steen noted that the policy states that employees 鈥渁re representatives of the district at all times and must model appropriate character, both on and off the worksite. This applies to material posted with personal devices and on personal websites and/or social media accounts.鈥�

The policy goes on to say that social media posts 鈥渨hich diminish the professionalism鈥� of the district may result in disciplinary action, including termination, if it is found to be disruptive to the educational environment.

The district, Steen noted, also has a policy on 鈥渆mployee expression鈥� that states 鈥渢he First Amendment protects a public employee鈥檚 speech when the employee is speaking as an individual citizen on a matter of public concern,鈥� but that 鈥渆ven so, employee expression that has an adverse impact on district operations and/or negatively impacts an employee鈥檚 ability to perform their job for the district may still result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.鈥�

Based on the policies and Kargol鈥檚 conduct, Steen concluded the district fired Kargol for job-related misconduct that disqualified him from collecting unemployment benefits.

The issue before him, Steen observed, wasn鈥檛 whether the district made a correct decision in firing Kargol, but whether Kargol is entitled to unemployment insurance benefits under Iowa law.

In ruling against Kargol on that issue, Steen noted Kargol was aware of district policies regarding social media use as well as work rules that specifically state employees are considered representatives of the school district at all times.

Kargol鈥檚 posts, Steen ruled, 鈥渞eflected negatively on the employer and were against the employer鈥檚 interests.鈥� The posts also 鈥渃aused substantial disruption to the learning environment, causing staff at all levels to need to redirect focus and resources on the public鈥檚 response for days after the incident,鈥� Steen stated.

Kargol鈥檚 federal lawsuit against the school district, alleging retaliation for exercising his First Amendment right to expression, is still working its way through the courts.

In that lawsuit, Kargol argues that in comments made last fall, Fisher made clear that his condemnation of Kargol鈥檚 Facebook posts 鈥渨as rooted in his personal beliefs, not in evidence of disruption. Speaking as 鈥榓 man of faith,鈥� Fisher expressed disappointment in the state of society and disapproval of Mr. Kargol鈥檚 expression. By invoking his personal religious identity in condemning Mr. Kargol鈥檚 speech, Fisher confirmed that his reaction was based on his own values and ideology, not on legitimate pedagogical concerns.鈥�

The district has denied any wrongdoing in that case. A trial date has yet to be scheduled.

have been filed against their former employers by Iowa educators, a public defender and a paramedic, all of whom allege they were fired or sanctioned for online comments posted in the immediate aftermath of Kirk鈥檚 death.

Earlier this week, and its executive director, alleging they improperly solicited complaints related to anti-Kirk social media posts.

is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: [email protected].

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