An Indiana educator has stepped down from her position following the controversial choice to wear a t-shirt emblazoned with the numbers ‘8647’ during a recent school excursion to Washington, DC. This particular numeric sequence has garnered attention as a veiled reference suggesting the assassination of former President Donald Trump, a topic that recently found its way into public discourse thanks to former FBI Director James Comey.
It is hard to believe that this teacher was unaware of the implications behind her shirt.
The local school district initiated an inquiry into the matter, but the teacher opted to resign before the investigation could commence. One might say, what an unfortunate lapse in judgment.
The Daily Mail reported:
Indiana Teacher Resigns Amid Controversy Over ‘Dangerous’ T-Shirt Worn on Class Trip to the White House
In a surprising turn of events, an Indiana teacher faced backlash after sporting a t-shirt that seemingly called for the assassination of Donald Trump during a school visit to the White House. Tonja Luken shared a now-deleted photo on Facebook, showcasing herself and a colleague smiling in front of the iconic landmark while accompanying students from Middlebury Community Schools.
At first glance, the image appears innocuous. However, discerning observers on social media quickly identified the provocative ‘8647’ printed on Luken’s flowery blue t-shirt…
In a public statement, Middlebury Community Schools condemned Luken’s decision to display her political views during an official school event.
‘Middlebury Community Schools maintains policies that require teachers to refrain from using their positions to advocate for partisan political beliefs. This prohibition is applicable to all educators, irrespective of their political affiliations, and extends to every political message, regardless of content,’ they stated.
How could anyone think that this was appropriate attire for a school trip?
UPDATE: The Indiana teacher who wore an “8647” shirt DURING a school trip to DC has RESIGNED after being exposed. pic.twitter.com/LQ5wukUnKY
— Texas (@MustangMan_TX) June 6, 2025
Meet Tonja Luken, a teacher at MiddleburyComm1 in Indiana, who reportedly wore a shirt with “8647” printed on it during a school trip to Washington, DC.
Why would a teacher opt for a shirt widely interpreted as a call for the assassination of a President—especially while… pic.twitter.com/ohl4JI7NnB
— BRIAN FRASER (@bfraser747) June 7, 2025
This situation raises serious questions about the comfort level some individuals have with expressing extreme political sentiments in inappropriate contexts.
(Image is a screen cap from Twitter/X)
