Scarborough teacher accused of showing assassination video to kids

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Can anybody imagine a teacher showing students as young as 10 the video of Charlie Kirk being murdered by a gunshot to the neck?

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The Toronto District School Board is investigating an allegation of this happening at a Scarborough elementary school.

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First, a University of Toronto professor was sent home for an X post that appeared after the shooting suggesting shooting is “too good” for fascists, and now the TDSB has done the same with a teacher who allegedly showed a Grade 5 and 6 class Kirk’s assassination in Utah.

The Corvette Junior Public School teacher was not in class Friday while the TDSB investigates the complaint from parents that a class of 10 and 11 year olds was shown a graphic video of the slaying.

“Several students from his class went home and complained to their parents, traumatized at witnessing the on-camera death, which they were forced to witness numerous times over,” a source close to the situation alleged. “Parents subsequently reached out to school administrators, who will be putting him on leave at the start of the school day September 12th 2025.”

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“While playing this video repeatedly, he gave a speech to his students regarding anti-fascism, anti-trans, and how Charlie Kirk deserved for this to occur,” the source claimed.

The school’s principal Jennifer Koptie sent a letter home to parents outlining the situation.

“We are writing to inform you about an incident that is reported to have taken place in your child’s class yesterday. During class, students were said to have been shown a portion of a violent video in response to questions being asked about a recent tragic event in the United States.”

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“The teacher has been relieved of all teaching responsibilities pending the outcome of the investigation and will not be at the school,” she wrote.

Koptie explained the school board is offering assistance to any children who were traumatized.

“I also want to assure you that our top priority is supporting students. Social Work support has been made available to the school,” she wrote.

The principal added: “The video is believed to have been shown once by a staff member supervising the class who is not the homeroom teacher.”

“While an investigation must still be conducted to learn all of the details, the report of this incident is extremely troubling and completely unacceptable,”Koptie said. “We recognize the seriousness of this matter and have taken immediate steps to follow all appropriate policies and procedures.”

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While this allegation is still being probed, it has to be asked what comes over these educators that they do these kinds of things?

The case of Dr. Ruth Marshall at U of T is another example.

Her X post that appeared soon after Kirk was murdered stated, “Shooting is honestly too good for so many of you fascist c—-,” which Premier Doug Ford called “disgusting” and Universities Minister Nolan Quinn called “flagrantly” flying in the “face” of “respectful debate.”

Marshall and the TDSB teacher are entitled to due process and an opportunity to explain themselves to those who are investigating.

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But these Ontario houses of learning are also entitled to take action – and that is what they have done.

In a letter to “colleagues, graduate students and staff,” Political Science Chair Ryan K. Balot advised everybody they “should plan to work from home Friday” since “the department’s physical office space will be closed” and “the University took immediate action upon learning of the concerning social media posts of a University of Toronto professor.

“The faculty member is now on leave and not on campus,” he stated. “The matter is being looked into and the University will not be commenting further.”

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Part of that probe should be to understand the context of Dr. Marshall’s post.

While her @wtfis2bdone X account is locked down and inaccessible, and while Press Progress claimed her commentary was in response to the war on Gaza and not on the Kirk killing, she has not responded to request for comment on the matter and nor has U of T.

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Neither the U of T professor nor the TDSB teacher have at this point been found to have violated any rules. Both cases are being professionally probed with them not in their respective classrooms while those investigations are underway. But the overall point, as authorities in Utah arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson for the murder, comes down to why are any teachers at any age level of schooling taking their biases and presenting them toward students?

If the goal is to radicalize young minds, it should be stopped.

There’s no way there’s anything appropriate about glorifying any violence to kids.

The teachers are entitled to their own views but their students in the classroom should not be subjected to those views.

jwarmington@postmedia.com

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