Martin County School Board refers teacher termination dispute to state administrative judges after weeks of public comment

The Martin County School Board voted Oct. 21 to defer a recommendation by Superintendent Maine to terminate teacher Matthew Theobald and to send Theobald’s request for a formal administrative hearing to the Florida Division of Administrative Hearings.

The decision follows more than two hours of public comment on the teacher’s private social media post about the late Charlie Kirk and whether that post undermined Theobald’s ability to teach. Supporters argued the suspension and proposed termination curtailed constitutionally protected speech and would harm students; opponents called the post inflammatory and said it could make some students feel unwelcome.

Board attorney Tony George told trustees the legal timeline factored into the board’s options. “On Oct. 8…that creates, if you all are gonna hear it, a 60‑day clock for you to hear it,” George said, adding that the clock would require the board to hear the matter no later than Monday, Dec. 8 if the board chose to hear the…