Public universities and school districts across the country have quietly paid more than $2.7 million in settlements to educators they disciplined for social media posts about Charlie Kirk's assassination last September, raising questions about how institutions have handled First Amendment claims.
At least five educators reached settlements with their employers over the past year, according to public records obtained by NBC News. The University of Tennessee approved the largest single payout — a $1.9 million agreement — on June 29.
Former University of Tennessee professor Tamar Shirinian will receive $1.9 million following her lawsuit alleging First Amendment violations. Shirinian had posted social media comments after Kirk's September 10 assassination at Utah Valley University, calling him a "disgusting psychopath" and writing that "the world is better off without him in it." She added comments about Kirk's wife that university officials deemed inflammatory enough to warrant administrative leave, ultimately leading to her termination on February 11. The settlement does not include her reinstatement.
Suzanne Swierc, formerly director of health promotion and advocacy at Ball State University in Indiana, received a $225,000 settlement after being terminated for a private Facebook post about Kirk. Her post expressed that "if you think Charlie Kirk was a wonderful person, we can't be friends," while acknowledging that Kirk's death was "a tragedy" for his family.
At Austin Peay State University in Tennessee, associate professor Darren Michael secured a $500,000 settlement and reinstatement after being fired on September 12, 2025 — two days after Kirk's death — for resharing a social media post. Michael's post included a 2023 quote in which Kirk stated that gun-related deaths were "unfortunately" worth protecting Second Amendment rights.
Joshua Bregy, a climate scientist at Clemson University, was reinstated following settlement negotiations. Bregy had shared a post stating, "I'll never advocate for violence in any form, but it sounds to me like karma is sometimes swift and ironic," alongside Kirk's own remark that "play certain games, win certain prizes." The ACLU of South Carolina, which represented Bregy, noted that while reinstatement was a public term of the agreement, undisclosed private terms also existed.
Melisa Crook of the Creston Community School District in Iowa settled for $145,000 plus full benefits after posting a Facebook comment on September 10 stating that Kirk was "a terrible human being" while asserting she did "not wish death on anyone."
Candice Hale, formerly a professor at the University of Alabama, has also reportedly reached a settlement with the school, though the agreement's financial terms remain unspecified. Hale's social media post criticized Kirk in harsh ideological terms, describing him as "evil racist, fascist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic" and questioning his Christian faith.
The University of Tennessee System declined to comment beyond public board meeting statements. Austin Peay State University confirmed Michael's reinstatement but offered no further explanation. Other institutions have similarly declined to explain their disciplinary decisions or the reasoning behind settlement amounts.
The settlements illustrate variation in how disputes have been resolved. Some educators recovered their positions; others received financial compensation without reinstatement. The variation suggests each institution negotiated independently without coordinated legal strategy.
