School Demands $117K For Curriculum Of Teacher Who Cheered Kirk Death

A Rhode Island high school teacher, Benjamin Fillo, is under scrutiny after posting videos celebrating the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Following these comments, a concerned mother, Nicole Solas, requested access to Fillo's curriculum materials, only to be met with a staggering fee of approximately $117,000 from the Barrington Public Schools.

Fillo, a social studies teacher at Barrington High School, faced backlash for his remarks, which included calling Kirk a "piece of garbage" and suggesting that Kirk was not in heaven following his death. The controversy began when Solas discovered Fillo's videos and sought to investigate the content of his teaching materials for potential political bias.

Solas submitted a public records request for Fillo's curriculum and any email correspondence containing the word "Trump" from September 1, 2024, onward. The school district's response indicated that fulfilling her request would require 7,735.5 hours of labor, costing $117,130.50, primarily for the curriculum materials. If she opted for printed documents, that would add an additional $6,692.55 to the total.

In an interview, Solas expressed her concerns about the potential indoctrination present in Fillo's curriculum, stating, "I wanted to see if there were politically biased lessons or any leftist ideological teaching." She criticized the school for not proactively providing the materials, suggesting that their actions imply a lack of transparency.

The interim superintendent of Barrington Public Schools acknowledged the high cost and suggested that narrowing the scope of the request could reduce the fee to approximately $5,500. However, Solas and other parents argue that taxpayers have a right to access this information without incurring such costs.

Fillo has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation into his comments, but parents have called for more decisive action, with some demanding his immediate termination. At a school board meeting, one parent remarked that paid leave is akin to a vacation, emphasizing the need for accountability.

Despite the controversy surrounding Fillo, some teachers and students have come to his defense, raising concerns about potential political bias among educators in the district. Solas noted that during the September meeting, several individuals defended Fillo, and students alleged that he had made politically charged statements in class.

Solas has a history of advocating for transparency in education, having faced legal challenges from the National Education Association Rhode Island for her previous public records requests regarding political indoctrination in her children's school. She has become a resource for other parents seeking to expose similar issues in their districts.

The Federalist reached out to Barrington Public Schools for clarification on whether a thorough investigation of Fillo's teaching materials is underway, but the response did not address specific concerns about transparency and accountability in the investigation process. As the situation unfolds, many parents remain vigilant, seeking assurance that their children's education is free from political bias.