TALLAHASSEE, Florida — A former state biologist is suing her former bosses because she was fired shortly after reposting an item on her private Instagram account about the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Brittney Brown, who worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the past seven years, contended that her First Amendment rights were violated by state officials. She is asking a judge to reinstate her and award her back pay.
“We see the state’s action plainly for what it is: a concerted effort to purge state employees with political beliefs that differ from our state’s current leadership,” said Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which is helping represent Brown. “The years-long effort to censor our students, professors, and now state employees has become Florida’s trademark but also a dangerous attempt to erode the limits of the First Amendment to favor those in power.”
Florida officials including Gov. Ron DeSantis have defended taking action against public employees, including teachers, for their comments in the aftermath of Kirk’s killing. DeSantis said someone who “celebrated” the death of Kirk should not be teaching children.
