Overview
- Michelle Mickens sued the Oglethorpe County School District after she was placed on leave and told to resign over private Facebook comments she made following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- The Southern Poverty Law Center filed the lawsuit for Mickens in 2025 and described the settlement as a win for public‑employee free speech rights.
- Records reported by The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution show the settlement paid about $270,420 for alleged emotional distress plus $17,080 for legal fees.
- As part of the agreement Mickens will not seek rehire in the district, and the district has not publicly reversed the discipline that led to the suit.
- The case adds to a string of post‑assassination disputes in which teachers faced discipline for social‑media posts and several have pursued legal action or been reinstated after challenges.