Lucy Martinez, a teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary School, is facing calls to be fired after she was recorded putting a finger to her neck and pretending to pull the trigger while yelling “bang, bang” during a No Kings protest in the city over the weekend.

VIOLENT SYMBOLISM, THREATS STEAL SHOW AT NATIONWIDE ‘NO KINGS’ PROTESTS

The principal of Nathan Hale Elementary School in Chicago appeared to defend teacher Lucy Martinez after she was spotted possibly mocking the assassination of Charlie Kirk during a protest. (Nick Cook/Getty)

The video, which has racked up tens of millions of views on social media, was widely interpreted as mocking the death of Kirk, who was assassinated by a shot through the neck last month.

In a letter sent to parents, Nathan Hale Elementary School Principal Dawn Iles-Gomez said “threats” were made against Martinez but made no mention of what she had done or the discipline she received, Fox News Digital previously reported.

KANSAS PROFESSOR PUT ON LEAVE AFTER CALLING WHITE MEN ‘DANGEROUS ANIMALS’ IN THE WAKE OF CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER

An image of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is placed at a memorial at Utah Valley University, where he was assassinated last month. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

“Dear Hale Parents and Staff, safety continues to be my top priority, which is why I am writing to notify you of a situation involving our school,” the letter states. “We were recently made aware of social media posts with language that resembles a potential threat to a staff member. We take all potential threats extremely seriously to ensure the safety of our school community.”

“The Chicago Police Department and the CPS Office of Safety and Security have been notified, and CPD is currently investigating this situation further,” Iles-Gomez continued.

Video

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Fox News Digital has attempted to reach Iles-Gomez.

Louis Casiano is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to louis.casiano@fox.com.

The post Chicago teacher accused of mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination portrayed as victim by school principal appeared first on My Blog.

The administration sent the compact to universities on Oct. 1, soliciting responses from the University of Arizona, MIT, Vanderbilt University, Brown University, Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Virginia.

The compact’s principles include merit-based admissions and hiring practices regardless of race, sex, political orientation, ethnicity and nationality, a commitment to freedom of ideas “abolishing institutional units that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas,” recognizing biological sex for the purpose of athletics, restrooms and locker rooms, institutional political neutrality, along with a measure about financial responsibility and some restrictions on admissions for foreign students.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon during an executive order signing ceremony in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on July 31, 2025, in Washington, D.C.  (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

If universities sign the deal, they would be subject to preferential federal funding.

AZ SENATE PRESIDENT URGES UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA TO JOIN TRUMP’S NEW HIGHER-ED REFORM COMPACT

While most of the universities provided feedback by the Monday deadline, none agreed to the compact.

Brown University President Christina Paxson wrote a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon which says, in part, “I am concerned that the compact, by its very nature and by various provisions would restrict academic freedom and undermine the autonomy of Brown’s governance, critically compromising our ability to fulfill our mission.”

MIT’s president, Sally Kornbluth, said the school has rejected the compact because it already does what the compact asks.

The campus of Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. (Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

TRUMP CONGRATULATES IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL AFTER $50M DEAL TO RESTORE FEDERAL FUNDING: ‘WOKE IS OFFICIALLY DEAD’

“These values and other MIT practices meet or exceed many standards outlined in the document you sent. We freely choose these values because they’re right, and we live by them because they support our mission — work of immense value to the prosperity, competitiveness, health and security of the United States. And of course, MIT abides by the law,” she wrote in a letter to McMahon on Oct. 10.

University of Pennsylvania President J. Larry Jameson said in an Oct. 16 statement that the school rejected the compact.

“Earlier today, I informed the U.S. Department of Education that Penn respectfully declines to sign the proposed Compact. As requested, we also provided focused feedback highlighting areas of existing alignment as well as substantive concerns,” the statement said.

Linda McMahon, U.S. education secretary, during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies hearing in Washington, June 3, 2025. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

WHY ELITE COLLEGES FEAR TRUMP AND MCMAHON’S NEW ACADEMIC COMPACT TYING FUNDING TO FREE SPEECH

On Oct. 17, Dartmouth rejected the deal, saying it does not believe that “the involvement of the government through a compact—whether it is a Republican- or Democratic-led White House—is the right way to focus America’s leading colleges and universities on their teaching and research mission.”

“Our universities have a responsibility to set our own academic and institutional policies, guided by our mission and values, our commitment to free expression, and our obligations under the law,” a letter to McMahon said. “Staying true to this responsibility is what will help American higher education build bipartisan public trust and continue to uphold its place as the envy of the world.

The University of Southern California acknowledged that while many of the values outlined in the compact were compatible with the school’s established practices, it would not agree to the deal.

The Maclaurin Buildings on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. (Getty Images)

EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON TOUTS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S $200M SETTLEMENT ‘TEMPLATE’

“Notwithstanding these areas of alignment, we are concerned that even though the Compact would be voluntary, tying research benefits to it would, over time, undermine the same values of free inquiry and academic excellence that the Compact seeks to promote,” a letter from USC Interim President Beong-Soo Kim said. “Other countries whose governments lack America’s commitment to freedom and democracy have shown how academic excellence can suffer when shifting external priorities tilt the research playing field away from free, meritocratic competition.”

The University of Virginia declined to join the compact as well, with Paul Mahoney, its interim president, saying, “A contractual arrangement predicating assessment on anything other than merit will undermine the integrity of vital, sometimes lifesaving, research and further erode confidence in American higher education.”

Similarly, the University of Arizona felt its principles had common ground with the compact, but also declined to sign it.

The University of Virginia declined to join the compact. (Daxia Rojas/AFP)

MIT REJECTS TRUMP ADMIN FUNDING COMPACT, CITING FREE EXPRESSION CONCERNS

“We have much common ground with the ideas your administration is advancing on changes that would benefit American higher education and our nation at large,” UA President Suresh Garimella wrote to McMahon.

“At the same time, a federal research funding system based on anything other than merit would weaken the world’s preeminent engine for innovation, advancement of technology, and solutions to many of our nation’s most profound challenges,” the letter continued. “We seek no special treatment and believe in our ability to compete for federally funded research strictly on merit.”

Vanderbilt University responded Tuesday, saying it had not been asked to accept or deny the compact, but rather to provide feedback to the administration, which it says it will do.

“Vanderbilt believes deeply in the power of constructive dialogue, particularly among people of differing views and perspectives,” said a letter to the Vanderbilt community from President Daniel Diermeier. “This is often how the greatest progress is made. We look forward to continuing the conversation—on our campus and with leaders in government and higher education—as we work toward our shared goal of restoring public trust in higher education and ensuring that America’s universities remain the best in the world.”

US President Donald Trump signs executive orders relating to higher education institutions in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 23, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP)

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The University of Texas at Austin has not officially accepted or denied the compact, and Kevin Eltife, the chairman of the UT System Board of Regents, said the school was “honored” to be solicited for feedback, according to FOX 7.

“We enthusiastically look forward to engaging with university officials and reviewing the compact immediately,” Eltife said.

Peter D’Abrosca joined Fox News Digital in 2025. Previously, he was a politics reporter at The Tennessee Star. 

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.

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SCAMMERS NOW IMPERSONATE COWORKERS, STEAL EMAIL THREADS IN CONVINCING PHISHING ATTACKS

How does the university payroll scam work

According to Microsoft Threat Intelligence, Storm-2657 primarily targets Workday, a widely used human resources platform, though other payroll and HR software could be at risk as well. The attackers begin with highly convincing phishing emails, carefully crafted to appeal to individual staff members. Some messages warn of a sudden campus illness outbreak, creating a sense of urgency, while others claim that a faculty member is under investigation, prompting recipients to check documents immediately. In some cases, emails impersonate the university president or HR department, sharing “important” updates about compensation and benefits.

Phishing scams are evolving fast, and now universities have become prime targets for payroll theft. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

These emails contain links designed to capture login credentials and multi-factor authentication (MFA) codes in real time using adversary-in-the-middle techniques. Once a staff member enters their information, the attackers can access the account as if they were the legitimate user. After gaining control, the hackers set up inbox rules to delete Workday notifications, so the victims do not see alerts about changes. This stealthy approach allows the attackers to modify payroll profiles, adjust salary payment settings and redirect funds to accounts they control, all without raising immediate suspicion.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY DATA BREACH HITS 870,000 PEOPLE

Hackers are exploiting universities at scale

The hackers don’t stop at a single account. Once they control one mailbox, they use it to spread the attack further. Microsoft reports that from just 11 compromised accounts at three universities, Storm-2657 sent phishing emails to nearly 6,000 email addresses at 25 institutions. By using trusted internal accounts, their emails appear more legitimate, increasing the likelihood that recipients will fall for the scam.

To maintain access over time, the attackers sometimes enroll their own phone numbers as MFA devices, either through Workday profiles or through Duo MFA. This gives them persistent access, allowing them to approve further malicious actions without needing to phish again. Combined with inbox rules that hide notifications, this strategy lets them operate undetected for longer periods.

Microsoft emphasizes that these attacks don’t exploit a flaw in Workday itself. Instead, they rely on social engineering, the absence of strong phishing-resistant MFA and careful manipulation of internal systems. In essence, the threat comes from human behavior and insufficient protection, not software bugs.

Hackers lure staff with convincing emails that mimic campus alerts or HR updates and steal login details in real time.  (Microsoft)

6 ways to stay safe from payroll and phishing scams

Protecting yourself from payroll and phishing scams isn’t complicated. By taking a few careful steps, you can make it much harder for attackers to gain access to your accounts or personal information.

1) Limit what personal information is online

The more information scammers can find about you, the easier it is to craft convincing phishing messages. Services that remove or monitor personal data online can reduce exposure, making it harder for attackers to trick you with targeted emails.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visitingCyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com

2) Think before you click

Scammers often send emails that look like they come from your HR department or university leadership, warning about payroll, benefits or urgent issues. Don’t click links or download attachments unless you are 100% sure they are legitimate. Even small mistakes can give attackers access to your accounts.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices atCyberguy.com.

Researchers have discovered that since March 2025, a hacking group known as Storm-2657 has been running “pirate payroll” attacks, using phishing tactics to gain access to payroll accounts. (Javi Sanz/Getty Images)

3) Verify directly with the source

If an email mentions salary changes or requires action, call or email the HR office or the person directly, using contact information you already know. Phishing emails are designed to create panic and rush decisions, so taking a moment to verify can stop attackers in their tracks.

4) Use strong, unique passwords

Never reuse passwords across multiple accounts. Scammers often try to use credentials stolen from other breaches. A password manager can help you generate strong passwords and store them securely, so you don’t have to remember dozens of different combinations.

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords, and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 atCyberguy.com.

5) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Add an extra layer of security by enabling2FA on all accounts that support it. This means even if someone steals your password, they still can’t log in without a second verification step, such as a code sent to your phone.

6) Regularly check financial and payroll accounts

Even if you follow all precautions, it’s smart to monitor your accounts for any unusual activity. Catching unauthorized transactions quickly can prevent bigger losses and alert you to potential scams before they escalate.

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Hackers will reroute payments after gaining access to users’ login information. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Kurt’s key takeaway

The Storm-2657 attacks show that cybercriminals are targeting trust, not software. Universities are appealing because payroll systems handle money directly, and staff can be manipulated through well-crafted phishing. The scale and sophistication of these attacks highlight how vulnerable even well-established institutions can be to financially motivated threat actors.

How often do you check your payroll or bank accounts for unusual activity? Let us know by writing to us atCyberguy.com.

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) sent a warning letter to the Hawaii Department of Education on Oct. 16 alleging the teacher’s free speech rights were violated.

The letter, which redacted the names of the teacher, school and administrators, said the incident occurred on Sept. 17 when the teacher taught the Bill of Rights as part of her federally mandated Constitution Day lesson. During a class discussion, the teacher explained that “hate speech” is protected under the Constitution, prompting a student to reference the Sept. 10 killing of Kirk, saying he “was killed for his speech.”

The teacher then asked students to name other figures who were killed for their speech. Students identified Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln, according to the ACLJ.

Another student mentioned that someone tried to assassinate President Donald Trump for his speech, while another student implied that such an act would be acceptable.

PROFESSOR FIGHTING DISMISSAL FOR CALLING CHARLIE KIRK A ‘NAZI’ HANDED LEGAL WIN, FUELING FREE SPEECH DEBATE

President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on his life in Butler, Pennsylvania in July 2024. (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

The teacher immediately corrected the student, according to the letter, telling the class that calls for death are not protected speech and that violence is never an acceptable response to disagreement.

During her next class, another student again brought up Kirk’s murder, and the teacher agreed he had been shot because of his speech.

The ACLJ maintains that the teacher did not express any political opinions and remained neutral throughout the discussion. Later that day, however, she was called into a meeting with the vice principal, who said the discussion about Kirk was considered too “controversial” for the classroom.

A parent had reportedly complained about the conversation, and the vice principal told the teacher she was required to “shut down” any further discussion of controversial topics. A week later, he emailed a memo warning that she would face discipline if she failed to comply.

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Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was killed while speaking on a Utah campus on Sept. 10, 2025. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The ACLJ said that directive violates state education policy, which allows student discussions on issues that “generate opposing points of view” as a “normal part of the learning process.” Furthermore, the group argued the teacher had included the Bill of Rights lesson in her syllabus, so parents were aware of the topic in advance.

In a later meeting with the vice principal and principal, the teacher challenged the memo and was allegedly told she could only discuss the First Amendment in the context of America’s founding, not in relation to current events.

The principal said the memo would be placed in her file but denied it was punitive, saying it would give administrators “a leg to stand on” if they decided to discipline her in the future.

A Hawaii history teacher was allegedly disciplined over holding a classroom discussion on free speech on Constitution Day when students discussed Charlie Kirk. (Jeff Pachoud/AFP via Getty Images)

FLORIDA TEACHER TOLD TO REMOVE CHARLIE KIRK IMAGE FROM CLASSROOM FEELS TARGETED, VOWS TO FIGHT DISTRICT

The ACLJ argues the school violated the teacher’s First Amendment rights and engaged in viewpoint discrimination by targeting her while allowing other teachers to connect constitutional issues to modern examples.

The group requested the immediate removal of the memo from the teacher’s file and assurances that no further discipline over the matter or her advocacy would occur.

FLORIDA TEACHER TOLD TO REMOVE CHARLIE KIRK IMAGE FROM CLASSROOM FEELS TARGETED, VOWS TO FIGHT DISTRICT

It also seeks written confirmation that teachers will not be forced to silence students during approved lessons and that instruction on constitutional rights will not be deemed “controversial.”

The ACLJ told Fox News Digital it has pushed back the original October 23 deadline for the Hawaii Department of Education to respond, to November 6, before deciding whether to file a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, alleging the teacher’s civil rights were violated and that officials interfered with federally required Constitution Day lessons.

The Hawaii Department of Education did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was killed on Sept. 10 while debating on a Utah campus.

The conservative influencer’s death has sparked a wave of campus activism focused on free speech.

Kristine Parks is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Read more.

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