JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A staff member of the Jacksonville Public Education Fund (JPEF) is no longer with the organization after making remarks on X and Facebook about Charlie Kirk, as informed to First Coast News.

Screenshots from Leofric Thomas Jr.’s online posts, circulating on social networks, were reposted by Kevin Carrico, President of the Jacksonville City Council. One screenshot displayed a Facebook message stating, “You reap what you sow…” without mentioning Kirk specifically. Another screenshot showed an X post stating, “When you spew hate, it’s what you get back. Charlie spewed nothing but hate, so what he got back, was….. yeah.”

In response, Carrico announced plans to propose legislation to remove Thomas from his role and urged cooperation from both the council and the mayor. He emphasized that such hateful language should not be tolerated in Jacksonville.

The JPEF first provided a statement to First Coast News saying they were aware of the posts and handling the matter “internally.” 

They called the posts “inconsistent with our values and code of conduct.” 

JPEF issued a statement condemning violence and sending sincere condolences to Mr. Kirk’s family. They affirmed their commitment to fostering respectful and empathetic discussions among diverse perspectives.

In a follow-up statement, they added an additional line reading “We can confirm that Mr. Thomas is no longer with our organization.” 

They did not explain whether Thomas had been dismissed, fired or had resigned himself.

Thursday evening, Thomas provided a statement to First Coast News acknowledging his responsibility for the posts and addressed the resulting issue. In his statement, Thomas expressed regret for his remarks.

“On September 10th at 4:08 P.M., I made a post on X addressing Mr. Charlie Kirk. Unfortunately, that post has been taken out of context and misrepresented in a way that does not reflect my values or the work I have committed myself to throughout the City of Jacksonville.

Public service has always been a calling for me—one grounded in love, equity, and a deep desire to bring people together. My original post was never meant to imply that Mr. Kirk deserved what happened to him. I want to be very clear: I do not condone or endorse any form of violence, under any circumstance.

Over the years, I have worked across political, racial, and cultural lines to serve our community. That includes standing up for marginalized voices—particularly within the African-American, LGBTQ+, and women’s communities. Some of Mr. Kirk’s past statements have deeply disturbed me, especially those that many see as harmful toward those very communities, including ones I represent and belong to.

While I strongly disagree with some of Mr. Kirk’s views, I also recognize that disagreement should never be expressed in a way that can be interpreted as encouraging harm. If given the opportunity to say it again, I would voice my concerns very differently. I remain committed to leading with love, even in the face of division or disagreement.

To anyone who was hurt, confused, or disappointed by my words—I sincerely apologize. My heart and prayers are with Mr. Kirk’s wife and children during this traumatic time.

Love brings love. Hate brings hate. Let us choose love—every time.”

The Florida Education Association released a statement, which did not name Thomas, condemning “social media discourse.”

“We want to take a moment to address what we have seen on social media today… Everyone deserves the right to be safe in their communities- whether that’s at home, in their schools or on college campuses. The union is here to support the rights of every educator across the state and we will not stand quiet while educators are tried in the court of public opinion instead of receiving the due process they deserve. Allowing threats and threatening those in our public school communities is counterproductive. As a union, we have always, and will always, stand for bringing people together. Now is the time to unite for safer, stronger communities for every American.”