A Colorado Springs substitute teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a video showing two young children excitedly exclaiming “Donald Trump died” circulated widely on social media.
The teacher, identified by the Daily Mail as Krista Cole, filmed herself last month telling her daughters she had the “best news ever.” After the children guessed at a series of public figures — at one point asking whether the president or the vice president had died and later whether Elon Musk had died — Cole revealed the news she meant was the engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The school district said it placed Cole on leave while it investigates whether district policy was violated.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Springs district told the Daily Mail that when there is concern an employee "may have violated a district policy in an egregious manner, it is our practice to place them on administrative leave while we conduct a thorough review." The spokesperson added that the matter was being handled administratively and declined further comment on personnel issues, saying there was no safety threat to Chipeta Elementary and that the district’s focus remained on providing a safe, supportive learning environment for students.
Social media users reacted strongly to the clip, tagging the school and the Colorado National Guard, where Cole’s husband, Adam Cole, is a lieutenant colonel, and calling for the couple to be fired or reported to child protective services. The teacher’s social media pages were deleted after the video circulated, according to the Daily Mail, which also reported that it had sought comment from Krista Cole and the Colorado National Guard.
The clip gained attention as conservatives across the country were mourning the killing of political commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot to death at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. The video drew commentary from users who framed the children’s responses as emblematic of broader political polarization.
Conservative commentators cited a YouGov survey that they said showed a disparity between young liberals and conservatives on the acceptability of political violence, noting that up to 26% of young liberals in the poll said violence is sometimes acceptable to achieve political goals, compared with about 7% of young conservatives included in the same survey. The survey figures were referenced in social media discussion of the viral clip; the district has not tied the video to any larger pattern of threats or safety concerns at the school.
Cole’s husband’s service with the Colorado National Guard prompted additional public attention; some social media posts questioned whether a military spouse had posted content perceived as politically extreme. The National Guard did not immediately comment to the Daily Mail, which reported seeking comment.
District officials said the administrative leave is standard procedure while the investigation proceeds. They reiterated that there is no known safety threat to students at Chipeta Elementary and said they would not provide further personnel details while the review is ongoing.
The episode highlights the rapid spread and scrutiny of short-form videos involving private citizens, and the scrutiny that school employees, particularly those with public or military ties, can face when personal content is shared online. The investigation into whether district policies were violated remains open.