Where I Stand on Social Media and Public Speech for Educators

By Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large)

Every challenge in education brings an opportunity to lead differently. One of the reasons I am running for the Pinellas County School Board is to promote fairness, empathy, and transparency, especially when it comes to how we treat the people who serve our students every day.

In today’s world, what we say online or in public can be amplified, distorted, and shared within seconds. Social media algorithms, anonymous accounts, and bots often turn digital comments into national debates. When that happens, schools feel pressure to respond quickly, sometimes before the full story is understood.

As a candidate and as someone who has trained professionals in communication, I believe teachers and administrators do not lose their right to free speech simply because they work in public education. Every educator should feel empowered to advocate for issues they believe in, as long as they respect the boundaries of professionalism and the code of conduct that applies to everyone equally.

What matters most is consistency. If a teacher or administrator makes a post or public comment that raises concern, there should be a clear and transparent process to determine whether it truly violates district policy. That process should never be driven by politics, media attention, or outside influence.

My View and School Board Solutions

If elected, I would advocate for the School Board to:

• Create a clear, publicly available policy outlining how the district will handle staff social media posts or public comments that may conflict with professional standards.

• Require a neutral panel to review any alleged misconduct, considering both context and intent before discipline is issued.

• Protect staff who clearly identify their statements as personal opinions, not representing the district or any organization, from unfair or politically motivated discipline.

• Publish transparent summaries of disciplinary outcomes, without names, to show consistency across cases and build public trust.

To keep it real, every person reading this post has said something behind closed doors, to a friend, or in a text that, if printed on the front page of a newspaper, would draw criticism or worse.

Further, we cannot ignore how social media itself contributes to this problem, rewarding outrage, emotional triggers, and division. None of this excuses offensive or harmful opinions, but it reminds us that there is a difference between feelings, ideas, and most importantly, actions.

Empathy matters here too. When we slow down, listen first, and apply the same fairness we expect our students to learn, we build stronger schools and a healthier culture — one where accountability and humanity coexist.

This is my current view based on the information I have today. I will always strive to present balanced, fact-based ideas and remain open to learning as new facts emerge. Growth means continuing to listen and improve.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large), and do not represent the official position of any organization, agency, or governing body.