Schools Pay Educators Over $2.7 Million in Charlie Kirk Post Settlements

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8

$2.7 million-plus in settlements has been paid by public universities and school districts to at least five educators disciplined over social media posts after Charlie Kirk’s 2025 assassination.
$1.9 million of that total went to former University of Tennessee professor Tamar Shirinian, whose lawsuit said the school violated her First Amendment rights after posts calling Kirk a “disgusting psychopath”; she was fired in February and will not be reinstated.
$500,000 went to Austin Peay professor Darren Michael, who was reinstated, while Ball State’s Suzanne Swierc received $225,000 and Iowa teacher Melisa Crook got $145,000 plus benefits; Clemson scientist Joshua Bregy also won reinstatement under undisclosed terms.
An additional settlement was reported at the University of Alabama for former professor Candice Hale, though the amount was not disclosed, suggesting the legal fallout is still expanding.
The cases center on whether public employers can punish employees for offensive but protected speech, with lawyers for some educators arguing the disputes reflect broader pressure on academic freedom and tenure.