Judge declines to halt probe into Iowa teachers’ posts after Charlie Kirk’s assassination

A federal judge refused to block Iowa regulators from investigating two teachers over social media posts made after Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

Bradford Betz is a Fox News Digital breaking reporter covering crime, political issues, and much more. 

Chief Judge Stephanie Rose of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa denied the teachers’ request for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction, ruling that federal courts generally should not interfere with ongoing state enforcement proceedings. She said the teachers may raise their constitutional arguments during the board’s disciplinary process and in Iowa’s state courts if necessary.

Rose wrote that professional licensing investigations qualify as "quasi-criminal" enforcement proceedings under federal precedent, meaning federal courts must abstain while the state process plays out. The board had already assigned investigators and opened formal cases against both teachers, placing the matter squarely within that doctrine.