A Florida teacher who once stood at the top of his profession just learned the hard way that social media posts can end careers.
The state’s education watchdogs are coming after him with everything they’ve got.
And a Florida teacher faces career-ending consequences after this one shocking post about vaccination.
Award-winning teacher’s stunning fall from grace
Evan Gould built a sterling reputation over three decades teaching chorus and drama in Florida.
In 2020, he was named Clay County’s Teacher of the Year.¹
https://twitter.com/DeAngelisCorey/status/1971685504677826873
His programs at Lake Asbury Junior High School won awards and superior ratings at state competitions.²
Gould ran District 1 Junior Thespians, hosting over 500 drama students annually for their regional festival.³
Parents and students respected him.
The district praised him as a model for the profession.⁴
That was before September 2025, when Gould decided to share his thoughts about COVID vaccination on social media.
Crossing a line
Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas filed a formal administrative complaint against Gould’s teaching certificate.⁵
A social media post Gould made in September 2025 crossed the line.⁶
"Smitty, I’m done arguing with science deniers," Gould allegedly wrote.⁷ "I know their negligent behavior will affect us all, but there’s nothing I can do about it. So, I will leave it at this: While I don’t wish diseases on people, I just hope the unvaccinated die quickly before these viruses can mutate into something else that our vaccines can’t treat."⁸
The Department of Education called the statement "inappropriate and disturbing" and "insensitive" to students.⁹
Here’s what Gould’s facing now: the state hit him with five separate counts of professional misconduct.¹⁰
They’re throwing everything at him – claiming his post amounts to immoral behavior, saying it wrecked his ability to do his job effectively, accusing him of violating ethical standards, arguing he failed to protect students from harm, and charging that he didn’t separate his views from the school’s position.¹¹
Florida’s crackdown on teacher social media extends beyond Kirk
Gould’s case landed right in the middle of Florida’s aggressive push to discipline teachers over social media posts.
The timing couldn’t be worse for him.
Following Charlie Kirk’s assassination in September 2025, Commissioner Kamoutsas sent a letter to all Florida superintendents warning that teachers’ social media posts could cost them their jobs or certifications.¹²
"An educator’s personal views that are made public may undermine the trust of the students and families that they serve," Kamoutsas wrote in that memo.¹³
https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/1971322713487954233
The state vowed to "hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments accountable."¹⁴
Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar estimates at least eight educators statewide are being investigated for social media posts.¹⁵
Look, the Kirk assassination sparked investigations across multiple school districts.
Four Central Florida teachers in Osceola County Schools are under investigation for posts related to Kirk’s death.¹⁶
Teachers in Lee County and elsewhere have been suspended or placed on administrative leave.¹⁷
The state even launched a public reporting tool where citizens can flag teachers’ social media content.¹⁸
Kamoutsas told superintendents he has the power to discipline educators for "personal conduct that seriously reduces that person’s effectiveness as an employee of the district school board."¹⁹
Governor Ron DeSantis backed the crackdown, calling it "completely unacceptable" for teachers to celebrate political violence on social media.²⁰
Teachers union cries foul as accountability comes to Florida classrooms
The Florida Education Association immediately went into damage control mode.
"We will not stand quiet while educators are tried in the court of public opinion instead of receiving the due process they deserve," the union stated.²¹
President Andrew Spar trotted out the usual leftist talking points, comparing the current environment to McCarthy-era tactics.²²
"It almost feels like a McCarthy-type of environment now where who you associate with, what you say, can be taken out of context and used in a way that is meant to harm you," Spar claimed.²³
The union’s playing the victim card for teachers who can’t keep their most disturbing thoughts off social media.
Here’s what makes Gould’s situation revealing about the broader problem: his post wasn’t about political violence or celebrating anyone’s death.
https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/1970598156418039886
He expressed a wish that unvaccinated people "die quickly" to prevent virus mutations.
That’s the mindset teaching middle schoolers in Florida public schools.
Let that sink in for a moment – a teacher entrusted with children openly hoping people die for making different medical decisions.
The state’s holding him accountable with potential sanctions ranging from written reprimands to permanent revocation of his teaching certificate.²⁴
He could face administrative fines, mandatory recovery programs, restricted teaching privileges, or suspension for up to five years.²⁵
The most severe option? The state could revoke his certificate for up to 10 years or permanently bar him from ever teaching again.²⁶
Gould will have a chance to respond and request a formal hearing before an administrative law judge.²⁷
Good luck explaining to parents why wishing death on people who disagreed with you about vaccines is appropriate conduct for someone educating their children.
Kamoutsas takes stand against teacher misconduct
Florida teachers are finally being held to professional standards.
Kamoutsas acknowledged teachers have constitutional protections but correctly argued "these rights do not extend without limit into their professional duties."²⁸
Republican State Representative Berny Jacques sent a letter to Pinellas County demanding accountability for teachers whose social media posts crossed the line.²⁹
The Florida Department of Education made clear that Commissioner Kamoutsas "intends to conduct an investigation of every educator who engages in misconduct and posts vile inappropriate messages."³⁰
https://twitter.com/StasiKamoutsas/status/1970149662855172372
The teachers union is sounding the alarm because accountability terrifies them.
Florida has 5,489 instructional and support staff vacancies as of August 2025.³¹
The union argues that holding teachers accountable for disturbing social media posts will worsen the shortage.
Here’s a better idea: maybe hire teachers who don’t wish death on people in their spare time.
"For the commissioner to say there’s no longer a second-chance mentality in education and that he’s going to personally investigate and essentially be the investigator, the prosecutor, and the judge and jury in all of these cases is quite concerning," union allies complained.³²
Translation: they’re upset someone’s finally enforcing standards.
Teachers in Florida can already lose their jobs and licenses for using students’ preferred pronouns without parental permission.³³
Now they’re learning their public social media activity – even posts made outside school hours – carries consequences when it reveals disturbing attitudes about the people they serve.
One appellate court recently ruled that a Duval County teacher shouldn’t be disciplined for "harmless political chitchat" on Facebook.³⁴
Wishing death on unvaccinated people isn’t harmless political chitchat.
Schools are requesting police patrols and taking security measures after teacher posts spark outrage from parents who actually care what’s being said about their families.³⁵
Districts are investigating teachers while parents demand accountability.³⁶
The message to Florida teachers is straightforward: maintain professional standards, or face consequences.
Gould’s teaching certificate remains valid through June 2031, but that’s only if he survives this investigation.³⁷
The Department of Education is moving forward with disciplinary proceedings as part of its effort to "reinforce strict codes of conduct within public schools."³⁸
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For a Teacher of the Year who spent 22 years building acclaimed programs in Clay County, watching his career face consequences over a single social media post should serve as a wake-up call.³⁹
Parents send their children to school trusting that teachers will educate them, not harbor disturbing views about families who make different choices.
Commissioner Kamoutsas deserves credit for taking a stand.
When teachers openly wish death on people for their medical decisions, that’s not a First Amendment issue – that’s a professional standards issue.
The teachers union can cry about McCarthy tactics all they want.
Florida parents are finally getting accountability from education officials who understand that public school teachers represent their institutions 24/7, including on social media.
Whether Gould keeps his teaching certificate is up to an administrative law judge.
But the message from Tallahassee is unmistakable: the days of teachers posting whatever they want without consequences are over.
¹ Anita Padilla, "Clay County teacher faces possible discipline after post saying he hopes ‘unvaccinated die quickly’," Action News Jax, October 20, 2025.
² – ¹¹ Ibid.
¹² Jay Waagmeester, "Teachers among those answering to employers after Charlie Kirk social media posts," Florida Phoenix, September 17, 2025.
¹³ Ibid.
¹⁴ Ibid.
¹⁵ "Teachers Across the U.S. Get Suspended or Fired Over Posts Linked to Charlie Kirk," Education Week, September 15, 2025.
¹⁶ Danielle Prieur, "Central Florida teachers under investigation over social media posts following Charlie Kirk’s death," Central Florida Public Media, September 16, 2025.
¹⁷ "Charlie Kirk shooting: Florida teachers warned about social media posts in aftermath of assassination," FOX 13 Tampa Bay, September 12, 2025.
¹⁸ "Florida AG launches public reporting tool for teacher social media posts," Tampa Bay Times, September 2025.
¹⁹ Jay Waagmeester, "Teachers among those answering to employers after Charlie Kirk social media posts," Florida Phoenix, September 17, 2025.
²⁰ Danielle Prieur, "Florida teachers told they could lose jobs, certifications over social media posts about Charlie Kirk," Central Florida Public Media, September 12, 2025.
²¹ Ibid.
²² Danielle Prieur, "Central Florida teachers under investigation over social media posts following Charlie Kirk’s death," Central Florida Public Media, September 16, 2025.
²³ Ibid.
²⁴ Anita Padilla, "Clay County teacher faces possible discipline after post saying he hopes ‘unvaccinated die quickly’," Action News Jax, October 20, 2025.
²⁵ Ibid.
²⁶ Ibid.
²⁷ Ibid.
²⁸ Jay Waagmeester, "Teachers among those answering to employers after Charlie Kirk social media posts," Florida Phoenix, September 17, 2025.
²⁹ Ibid.
³⁰ Ibid.
³¹ "Florida officials say they want to eliminate school vaccine mandates. It won’t be that simple," 19th News, September 4, 2025.
³² Jay Waagmeester, "Teachers among those answering to employers after Charlie Kirk social media posts," Florida Phoenix, September 17, 2025.
³³ Danielle Prieur, "Central Florida teachers under investigation over social media posts following Charlie Kirk’s death," Central Florida Public Media, September 16, 2025.
³⁴ Jeffrey S. Solochek, "Florida school wrong to discipline teacher over personal posts, court says," Tampa Bay Times, February 24, 2025.
³⁵ "Teachers Across the U.S. Get Suspended or Fired Over Posts Linked to Charlie Kirk," Education Week, September 15, 2025.
³⁶ Ibid.
³⁷ Anita Padilla, "Clay County teacher faces possible discipline after post saying he hopes ‘unvaccinated die quickly’," Action News Jax, October 20, 2025.
³⁸ Ibid.
³⁹ "Clay County names teacher/employee of year," News4Jax, February 4, 2019.
