Texas educators’ unions filed federal lawsuits challenging state education officials’ directives to investigate school employees’ social-media reactions after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The Texas American Federation of Teachers says the state education agency instructed districts to collect and report ‘vile content,’ triggering hundreds of complaints and disciplinary actions that the union calls retaliation and a free-speech violation. Similar legal fights have spread to multiple states as governors and education agencies push probes into staff speech, and universities, colleges and K–12 systems are watching closely for how courts balance personnel rules, safety concerns and First Amendment protections. The litigation could set precedents for how districts and states police staff speech and for limits on administrative directives affecting academic and instructional employees.