At least six universities in the US have fired or suspended professors and other staff for sharing social media posts about Charlie Kirk they consider to be “disrespectful” or “insensitive”.
Charlie Kirk was a conservative political activist. He founded the Turning Point USA organisation, which aimed to spread right-wing ideas at university campuses. Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on 10th September while speaking about mass shootings at a Utah Valley University event.
Here’s a rundown of all the unis we know have fired or suspended staff for social media posts about Charlie Kirk. Right-wing student groups at other US unis are calling for their professors to be sacked, so it is likely that even more professors will lose their jobs.
Austin Peay State University (APSU)
The uni sacked a theatre professor for a social media post about Charlie Kirk’s death.
The president of Austin Peay State University said: “A faculty member of Austin Peay State University reshared a post on social media that was insensitive, disrespectful and interpreted by many as propagating justification for unlawful death. Such actions do not align with Austin Peay’s commitment to mutual respect and human dignity. The university deems these actions unacceptable and has terminated the faculty member.”
The uni has not specified what the social media post was.
Clemson University
A student group called Clemson College Republicans accused their uni of being “a cesspit of political violence sympathisers” and asked for students to send them screenshots of uni staff’s social media posts. They campaigned for their uni to fire two assistant professors and another employee that shared social media posts they considered to be making fun of Charlie Kirk.
Clemson University in South Carolina
(Credit: Chris Pruitt)
Various conservative politicians in South Carolina weighed in, calling for the uni to be defunded if it didn’t get rid of these employees, and suggesting students should ask for their tuition fees back. Donald Trump actually reshared a post about defunding the uni.
Clemson University reviewed the “inappropriate social media content”. On 15th September, the uni announced they’d fired one employee because of their social media posts. The uni has also removed two faculty members from teaching, while they review whether to sack them. Clemson University has not specified which employees have been fired or are being investigated.
A statement from Clemson University: pic.twitter.com/qtkjuuVVw2
— Clemson University (@ClemsonUniv) September 15, 2025
Cumberland University
That’s a private liberal arts college in Tennessee. Cumberland University’s president announced on 12th September that they’d fired a literature professor and a sports coach after they made “inappropriate comments on the internet related to the tragic shooting of Charlie Kirk”.
Florida Atlantic University
The president of Florida Atlantic University has put a “tenured faculty member” on “administrative leave pending investigation” because of social media comments “regarding the assassination of Charlie Kirk”. He didn’t specify which lecturer this was, or what the comments said.
— Florida Atlantic University (@FloridaAtlantic) September 13, 2025
A history of art professor called Karen Leader then identified herself to the Sun Sentinel. She said: “I did not make comments about the ‘assassination,’ the murder of Charlie Kirk. I never mentioned it.” She said she shared other people’s posts on X that argued Charlie Kirk’s previous public statements were misogynistic, queerphobic and racist.
Middle Tennessee State University
Eight hours after Charlie Kirk’s death was confirmed, the uni’s president announced he had “fired effective immediately” an employee who made “inappropriate and callous comments on social media concerning the horrific and tragic murder of Charlie Kirk”.
He later clarified that the employee worked in the Office of Student Care and Conduct. She was responsible for student behavioural issues, and students needed to view her as “fair and even-handed, a professional without agendas”. So, her comments about Charlie Kirk on Facebook apparently made her “ineligible to work with students on their conduct”.
University of Mississippi
The day after Charlie Kirk died, the Uni of Mississippi fired a staff member for resharing “hurtful, insensitive” social media comments.
Statement from Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce regarding hurtful, insensitive comments re-shared by staff member. pic.twitter.com/IIGYGQ2xeK
— Ole Miss (@OleMiss) September 11, 2025
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Featured image of Charlie Kirk by Roger Askew/Shutterstock, the University of Mississippi by MinTUSTo, and Cumberland University by Ichabod.
