Gary Elementary School in West, Chicago (Google Maps)
Activists began circulating a flyer online, with a Change.org petition, calling for the employee's job and for students to stay home from school in protest, saying, "the casual way in which he publicly promoted the actions of ICE in our area is inappropriate and unsuitable for an educator."
"The best way to show our district that we need action to be taken – is to show them that keeping this teacher will disrupt the emotional welfare and therefore, the education of our students," the flyer said.
Fox News Digital could not independently locate the employee's comment or the Facebook post that the employee was responding to and his account appears to have been deleted. The Change.org petition described the comment as being "in response to a community article."
Local leaders also got involved, including Karina Villa, an Illinois state Senator representing the 25th District, who posted a message saying she stands in "unwavering solidarity" with families upset about the "disturbing comments reportedly made by an educator."
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Chicago, Illinois skyline. (iStock)
Fox News Digital reached out to West Chicago Elementary School District 33 for comment and specifics on what, if any rule, the teacher violated by posting support for law enforcement on Facebook.
The city of West Chicago held a "listening session" on Monday at the request of Mayor Daniel Bovey, that included a Spanish translator, where a variety of parents and locals expressed concerns about the post, including a woman who said "kids do not feel safe" as a result of the post and another woman who said the post was "cruel."
On Monday afternoon, a district spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the teacher had been placed on leave after a Monday meeting.
"On Thursday, January 22, 2026, the District learned of concerns regarding a disruptive social media comment made by a District employee on his personal account," the statement said. "The teacher initially submitted his resignation. Later that day, he withdrew his resignation before the Board had an opportunity to take action."
The statement continued, "Following a meeting with District administration today, the employee involved has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and will not be permitted on any District property while on leave."
"We understand that this situation has raised concerns and caused disruption for students, families, and staff. We want to ensure our schools are safe spaces, and we look forward to seeing all students back in school tomorrow. Thank you for your patience, trust, and partnership during the ongoing investigation."
The spokesperson did not respond when asked by Fox News Digital what specific policies the teacher had potentially violated by supporting law enforcement on Facebook.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chicago-teacher-placed-on-leave-after-facebook-post-supporting-ice-sparks-outrage-from-activists