The school district placed Barrington High School social studies teacher and local teachers union president Benjamin Fillo on paid administrative leave on Thursday, Sept. 11. The move came after Fillo posted a video to TikTok where he criticizes Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old conservative political speaker who was shot and killed during an event on a Utah college campus earlier in the week. 

The district announced the decision in a statement on Thursday evening. It did not identify Fillo. 

“I am writing to inform you that a teacher in Barrington Public Schools has been placed on paid administrative leave and we will be conducting a thorough investigation, led by a third party investigator, into concerns related to alleged social media activity,” wrote Barrington Superintendent of Schools Chris Ashley. “These actions were taken in accordance with our district’s policies and procedures. While we cannot share further details, I want to be clear: Barrington Public Schools holds its staff to the highest professional standards. We will always take appropriate steps to ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all of our students and staff.”

In the video, Fillo calls Kirk a “piece of garbage.” 

“I have about as much sympathy for Charlie Kirk right now as I do for all those farmers across the country who want socialist handouts from the government right now,” Fillo said. “This is a man who hated the LGBTQ community, who hated women’s rights, who hated democracy, who thought that he was a big man cause he went to college campuses and debated young college students and thought he proved how tough he was with his words that he studied ahead of time … what a piece of garbage. This is what happens. I’m curious if we’re going to want to take guns away now from who will inevitably be the white man who shot and killed him. Bye Charlie.”

The video was circulated widely throughout the community and beyond. And it drew a quick reaction from some residents who emailed the school department.

“The nature of these comments is deeply troubling—not only because of what was said, but also because of how it was expressed,” wrote one Barrington parent in an email to the district on Thursday, Sept. 11. “This raises serious questions about Mr. Fillo’s professionalism, judgment, and role as an educator who is entrusted with the safety, wellbeing, and development of our children.

“Teachers hold a unique and vital responsibility—not just to educate but to foster an environment of respect, fairness, and open dialogue. It is essential that they promote equitable discourse without resorting to or endorsing violence, or silencing students or community members who hold differing viewpoints. His recent posts are disturbing and foster hate and raises to the level of hate speech. This kind of behavior undermines the trust parents and students place in the school and damages the inclusive atmosphere we expect in our educational institutions.”

Barrington Public Schools’ policy regarding social media use by staff and volunteers states “BPS acknowledges that its staff and volunteers have a First Amendment right to speak out as private citizens on matters of public concern. At the same time, BPS has the right and responsibility to regulate BPS staff and volunteers’ online conduct under specific circumstances, including when the staff and volunteers’ online speech impedes performance of the staff or volunteers’ duties or interferes with BPS’s ability to operate effectively.”

The policy also states “BPS staff and volunteers will not post or otherwise publish content that violates BPS’ bullying, anti-discrimination, and/or anti-harassment policies.”

Fillo has served as co-president of the local teachers union, NEA-Barrington, for years.

The Barrington Times reached out to Fillo on Thursday night for a comment but he has not yet responded.