The fallout from the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner has moved well beyond the initial incident, reaching into schools and administrative offices across multiple states.
In the days following the attack—where shots were fired at the Washington Hilton, injuring a Secret Service agent but leaving no fatalities—attention has shifted to a series of social media posts made by education professionals reacting to the event.
Several of those posts expressed disappointment that President Donald Trump was not killed, triggering swift disciplinary responses.
In Ohio, Corrine Baum, a teacher affiliated with BrightPath, posted a video suggesting frustration that the outcome of the shooting was not what some had anticipated. The reaction from her employer was immediate.
BrightPath issued a statement condemning any language that could be interpreted as endorsing violence and confirmed Baum’s termination. The organization described her comments as incompatible with its standards and values.
A similar situation unfolded in Wisconsin involving Patrick Meyer, a social studies teacher at Kaukauna High School. Meyer’s now-deleted post referenced historical presidential assassins and mocked the alleged shooter’s failure. The language drew sharp scrutiny, and the school district responded by placing him on administrative leave while reviewing the matter under internal policies.
In Pennsylvania, Francesca Zelnick, identified as an institutional data manager and registrar at Friends’ Central School, appeared to post messages both before and after the shooting. One message expressed hope that an incident would occur during the dinner, followed by another acknowledging that someone else seemed to share that sentiment.
The school confirmed awareness of the posts and stated the situation is being handled as a personnel matter, emphasizing that the views expressed do not align with institutional values.
Another case in Wisconsin involved Sandy Strand, a director of student services in the Prescott School District. A social media post attributed to Strand read, “Ugh. They missed again,” referencing the failed assassination attempt. District officials acknowledged the post and stated that while they could not comment on an active investigation, they condemned violence and clarified that such views are not supported by the district.
