A former teacher assistant in South Carolina has filed a federal lawsuit against Spartanburg County School District Five, alleging she was wrongfully terminated for a post on her private social media account. The lawsuit claims the district's actions and its social media policy violate her First and 14th Amendment rights.
Lauren Vaughn, who worked at River Ridge Elementary School for six years, was fired on September 15, 2025, after sharing a critical post about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's views on the Second Amendment. The legal action seeks to have her termination and the district's policy declared unconstitutional.
Key Takeaways
- Lauren Vaughn, a former teacher assistant, is suing Spartanburg County School District Five for wrongful termination.
- The lawsuit alleges her firing over a private Facebook post violates her First Amendment rights to free speech.
- The post in question criticized a quote from conservative activist Charlie Kirk about gun rights.
- Vaughn had a six-year tenure with the district, no prior disciplinary issues, and was named a support staff employee of the year in 2021.
- The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the school district's social media policy, calling it overly broad.
Lawsuit Alleges Violation of Constitutional Rights
A legal battle is unfolding in South Carolina where a former school employee is challenging her dismissal over her off-duty online activity. Lauren Vaughn filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court on Thursday, September 18, 2025, against Spartanburg County School District Five. The suit contends that her termination was a direct result of exercising her right to free speech on a matter of public concern.
According to court documents, Vaughn's employment was terminated after the district received complaints regarding a post she made on her personal Facebook account. The lawsuit argues that the district's social media policy, which led to her firing, is unconstitutionally vague and restrictive, infringing upon the rights of its employees to express personal opinions outside of their professional capacity.
Public Employee Speech Rights
The First Amendment protects the speech of government employees on matters of public concern. However, courts often balance these rights against the government's interest in maintaining an efficient workplace. Cases like this often hinge on whether the speech disrupted the employer's operations or was made in the employee's capacity as a private citizen.
Details of the Social Media Post
The controversy centers on a Facebook post Vaughn made on her private account, which was visible only to her friends. The post did not mention her employer, her role at River Ridge Elementary, or any students. It was created using a personal device outside of school hours and was deleted on the same day it was published.
The lawsuit specifies the content of the post, which shared a 2023 quote attributed to Charlie Kirk regarding gun violence.
“‘I think it’s worth [sic] to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second amendment to protect our other God-given Rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational,’ – Charlie Kirk. Thoughts and prayers,” the post stated, according to the legal filing.
Vaughn's legal team argues that this post represents classic political speech on a topic of significant public debate and should be protected under the First Amendment.
A Decorated Employee's Termination
Prior to her dismissal, Lauren Vaughn was a long-standing employee with a positive record. The lawsuit highlights her six years of service with the district and notes that she had no history of disciplinary action.
The complaint outlines the sequence of events leading to her termination. After the district was notified of complaints about the post, Vaughn was placed on administrative leave. Shortly after, on September 15, 2025, she was officially fired for what the district deemed a violation of its social media policy.
Vaughn claims the firing has resulted in significant personal and professional damages. These include lost wages, harm to her professional reputation, and emotional distress.
Challenge to District's Social Media Policy
A central element of the lawsuit is a direct challenge to the legality of the school district's social media guidelines. The policy reportedly requires employees to remain “respectful and professional in all communications, regardless of setting.”
Vaughn’s lawsuit argues this language is overly broad and unconstitutional. It claims the policy creates a chilling effect, discouraging employees from participating in political discourse or expressing critical opinions for fear of professional reprisal. The suit contends that such a broad policy unfairly extends the employer's control over an employee's private life and speech.
What the Lawsuit Seeks
The legal action requests several remedies from the court:
- A declaration that the decision to fire Vaughn was unconstitutional.
- A ruling that the district's social media policy violates the First and 14th Amendments.
- Reinstatement to her former position or compensation for lost wages and other damages.
When contacted for a statement, a spokesperson for Spartanburg District Five confirmed the district's awareness of the lawsuit. However, they stated that the district cannot provide comments on pending litigation. The case will now proceed through the federal court system, where it could set a precedent for public employee speech rights in the digital age.
