Former UT Professor Receives $1.9M Settlement After Dismissal Over Charlie Kirk Comments

A former University of Tennessee professor will receive $1.9 million as part of a settlement resolving a lawsuit that accused the university of violating her constitutional rights after officials disciplined her over…

Andrew PowellJul 1, 20262 min read

Charlie KirkFree SpeechLawsuitSocial mediaUniversity of Tennessee

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The controversy began after Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 while participating in his "American Comeback Tour" at Utah Valley University.

Following his death, Shirinian posted comments on Social media describing Kirk as a "disgusting psychopath."

In one post, she wrote, "The world is better off without him in it," before adding criticism aimed at Kirk's family, including remarks about his wife and children.

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Shirinian later apologized for the posts, calling them "insensitive" and saying the comments were "uncharacteristic of me as a person."

Despite the apology, the university placed her on administrative leave before terminating her employment on Feb. 11.

In a letter informing Shirinian of her dismissal, University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman said the professor's comments crossed a line by celebrating a violent killing and insulting those grieving Kirk's death.

"Your words celebrated a gruesome murder, which horrifically took place on a college campus similar to our own, and then went on to callously demean the grief and loss felt by the widow and young children of the victim while also mocking any grief felt by others who sympathized with the surviving family," Plowman wrote.

Shirinian responded by filing a Lawsuit, arguing that the university violated her constitutional rights through its disciplinary actions.

Her attorney, Robb Bigelow, said the settlement brings the lengthy legal dispute to an end.

"My client is pleased that the parties reached a resolution," Bigelow said in a statement to Knox News. "Litigation is always difficult, and we're grateful to everyone on both sides who worked diligently to bring this matter to a close."

"We believe the resolution reflects the seriousness of the issues while allowing everyone to move forward," he added. "We wish the University nothing but success in the future."

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