In the wake of the shocking assassination of conservative figurehead Charlie Kirk, a wave of controversial remarks from academics nationwide has sparked significant backlash. These comments, many of which appeared to celebrate the death of the Turning Point USA founder, led to a series of disciplinary actions against several faculty members.
However, as the spring semester gets underway, numerous educators have returned to their positions following brief suspensions. One such case involved Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. Michael was initially dismissed on September 12, just two days after Kirk’s assassination, due to a social media post where he quoted Kirk’s 2023 statement that gun deaths were “unfortunately worth it” to protect the Second Amendment.
In a message to the university community dated December 30, Austin Peay announced Michael’s reinstatement. The institution admitted it had not adhered to its own procedures for dismissing tenured faculty members. As part of the resolution, Michael received a $500,000 settlement, according to local news sources.
Meanwhile, at the University of South Dakota, art professor Michael Hook faced termination after making critical comments about Kirk following the assassination. As the situation unfolds, the reinstatement of these professors highlights ongoing debates around free speech and the consequences of public statements in academia.
Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd after arriving at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025 in Orem, Utah. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
At the University of South Dakota, art professor Michael Hook was fired for slamming Kirk in the wake of his assassination.
“Okay. I don’t give a flying f— about this Kirk person,” Hook said hours after Kirk was killed, according to Inside Hire Ed. “I’m sorry for his family that he was a hate spreading Nazi and got killed. I’m sure they deserved better. Maybe good people could now enter their lives. But geez, where was all this concern when the politicians in Minnesota were shot? And the school shootings? And Capitol Police? I have no thoughts or prayers for this hate spreading Nazi. A shrug, maybe.”
Hook sued the school after his termination, and on Sept. 26, a federal judge ordered him to be temporarily reinstated while the legal proceedings continued, deciding that he had a reasonable chance of prevailing in his suit.
Shortly thereafter, the South Dakota Board of Regents agreed not to fire Hook, and he dropped his lawsuit, The Argus Leader reported.
A trio of faculty members at Florida Atlantic University were placed on administrative leave for social media posts related to Kirk’s death.
Charlie Kirk is pictured with his family at Christmas in December 2024. (Charlie Kirk via Facebook)
Tenured finance professor Rebel Cole responded to comments about Kirk’s death, saying, “We are going to hunt you down,” and “we are going to identify you,” which prompted some students to feel uncomfortable, according to WPTV.
Another tenured professor, Karen Leader, was placed on leave after reposts calling Kirk “racist,” “transphobic” and homophobic, according to the same outlet.
Both were reinstated for the spring term.
The third FAU professor, Kate Polak, is not tenured and remains on leave during the spring semester, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported on Jan. 9.
She wrote on social media that “delighting in the death of someone who wished death on us isn’t sick,” and rather described it as “self-defense.” She also replied “SAME,” to a social media user who said they wanted to “buy [Kirk’s killer] a bottle.”
Montana State University-Northern professor Samantha Balemba-Brownlee was suspended for Facebook posts about Kirk.
An image of slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk is placed at a memorial in his honor, at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. (Jim Urquhart/Reuters)
“Holy s—! Someone shot Charlie Kirk in the neck! Not condoning violence, but maybe people are sick of the garbage he spews, perhaps?” she reportedly wrote in one post. In another, she described Kirk as a “misogynistic, racist, homophobic, xenophobic a——.
“He spread hate,” the post continued. “He harmed society. He cut down women at every turn. No I do not mourn him.”
Farhana Sultana, a geography professor, was briefly suspended from Syracuse University after disturbing anti-Kirk remarks, but has since returned to teaching.
“Sorry, but rest in piss,” she wrote on Bluesky, according to Syracuse.com, adding that “[t]he white supremacist actually promoted gun violence. He died experiencing what he supported.” Also posted: “Give him what he valued: no empathy.”
Joshua Bregy is an associate professor in Clemson University’s Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. He was fired on Sept. 26 after reposting a comment on Facebook.
“I’ll never advocate for violence in any form, but it sounds to me like karma is sometimes swift and ironic,” the post said. “As Kirk said, ‘Play certain games, win certain prizes.’”
Tyler Robinson appears virtually in Utah court on Sept. 16, 2025, to face charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk. (Utah State Courts)
The post also said that “no one should be gunned down” but that Kirk was a “flawed human being whose rhetoric caused notable damage.”
Bregy sued the school, and Clemson agreed to rescind his termination. Bregy will remain on Clemson’s payroll until May 15, but as part of the agreement, must resign before that date.
Kirk’s alleged assassin was in court this week, where his attorneys argued that the entire prosecution team should be disqualified.
