Professor Fired Over Charlie Kirk Post Wins $500,000 and Gets Job Back

[eagle7-31]

‘Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at Austin Peay State University (APSU) in Tennessee, has resumed his post following his removal over a social media post related to Charlie Kirk last fall, the university told Newsweek in an email.

Local media WKRN News 2 reported that in addition to resuming his tenured position, ASPU will pay him $500,000. ASPU Chief Strategic Communication Officer Ginna Holleman confirmed to Newsweek that Michael and ASPU “reached a settlement agreement,” but did not provide details on the matter.
[…]
Shortly after reports of Kirk’s assassination, Michael posted on a social media a screenshot of a widely circulated Newsweek article from 2023 that quoted Kirk noting that gun deaths in exchange for the preservation of Second Amendment rights are part of America's reality.
[…]
ASPU is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, with around 11,000 students enrolled.’

Professor fired over Charlie Kirk post wins $500,000 and gets job back

A Tennessee professor who was removed over a social media post about Charlie Kirk's death has been reinstated.

www.newsweek.com

The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to free speech and expression, even if some perceive that speech as offensive.

Conservatives aren’t at liberty to silence those who express facts and the truth conservatives don’t like.

Charlie Kirk says gun deaths "unfortunately" worth it to keep 2nd Amendment

The conservative founder of Turning Point USA made the comments following a mass shooting in Nashville last week that resulted in six deaths.

www.newsweek.com

Conservatives aren’t at liberty to silence those who express facts and the truth conservatives don’t like.

The reverse is true also whether you like it or not. The first amendment does NOT just apply to the left wing.

 

[Lockback]

I'm stumped also. Is he hallucinating that Ashli Babbit was "armed to the teeth?"

Or is he just a garden variety Democrat liar who knows he is lying?

pknopp I can roll my eyes and laugh at your "not a Democrat" claim. But it is disgusting to see you hyper-partisan Dems condemn these ICE officers based on blatant lies and hatred of immigration laws being enforced.

Great question! I had the same.
Ashli Babbitt, who was totally unarmed?? WTF was he blathering about?

 

[ColonelAngus]

Good to see lefties supporting FREE SPEECH and agreeing no one should be fired for social media posts!!

 

[konradv]

"Executing people".
You should be ashamed of yourself.
But I realize the Left is incapable of shame or self reflection. All they have is hyperbole and outright lies.

MAGA has no shame, if you’re going to condone extra-judicial executions.

 

[0311]

Well, he favors killing people for what they say. I wonder if he would feel the same if he were the target?

It is called the Right to Free Speech, read the First Amendment if you are confused, which being a MAGA MAGGOT is a daily event for you.

 

[0311]

Conservatives aren’t at liberty to silence those who express facts and the truth conservatives don’t like.

The reverse is true also whether you like it or not. The first amendment does NOT just apply to the left wing.

You are ******* WRONG. the First Amendment does not differentiate between political parties or points of view. In this country ALL PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH!

 

[Lockback]

MAGA has no shame, if you’re going to condone extra-judicial executions.

I do not condone the execution of Ashli Babbitt. I condemn it in the strongest terms.

 

[MostBoringManInTheWorld]

I'm stumped also. Is he hallucinating that Ashli Babbit was "armed to the teeth?"

Or is he just a garden variety Democrat liar who knows he is lying?

pknopp I can roll my eyes and laugh at your "not a Democrat" claim. But it is disgusting to see you hyper-partisan Dems condemn these ICE officers based on blatant lies and hatred of immigration laws being enforced.

Her teeth were a deadly weapon when used on her husband's cock and their girlfriend's *****.

 

[konradv]

I do not condone the execution of Ashli Babbitt. I condemn it in the strongest terms.

That wasn’t an execution; it was self defense. What happened in Minneapolis was an execution.

 

[Edgetho]

Her teeth were a deadly weapon when used on her husband's cock and their girlfriend's *****.

People like you make it easy to despise dimocrap scum. And I do.

When the time comes, and it will, expect no mercy

 

[Lockback]

People like you make it easy to despise dimocrap scum. And I do.

When the time comes, and it will, expect no mercy

The Reckoning will come. And they will not fare well.

 

[Lockback]

That wasn’t an execution; it was self defense. What happened in Minneapolis was an execution.

Yeah ... a cop with a gun "under attack" by a small woman who was unarmed?
Are you ******* kidding me???
Just how warped are you??

 

[konradv]

Yeah ... a cop with a gun "under attack" by a small woman who was unarmed?
Are you ******* kidding me???
Just how warped are you??

How would he have known she wasn’t armed? She was obviously deranged.

 

[Stryder50]

How would he have known she wasn’t armed? She was obviously deranged.

If shooting deranged people is permissible per you loony-tunes Leftists, than I guess it's OK to have open season on any and all Leftist/Democrats.

 

[Lockback]

How would he have known she wasn’t armed? She was obviously deranged.

He was a trigger-happy idiot who skated thanks to Pelosi. He should be behind bars. Any other jurisdiction and he would have been charged and probably convicted.

 

[Stryder50]

‘Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at Austin Peay State University (APSU) in Tennessee, has resumed his post following his removal over a social media post related to Charlie Kirk last fall, the university told Newsweek in an email.

Local media WKRN News 2 reported that in addition to resuming his tenured position, ASPU will pay him $500,000. ASPU Chief Strategic Communication Officer Ginna Holleman confirmed to Newsweek that Michael and ASPU “reached a settlement agreement,” but did not provide details on the matter.
[…]
Shortly after reports of Kirk’s assassination, Michael posted on a social media a screenshot of a widely circulated Newsweek article from 2023 that quoted Kirk noting that gun deaths in exchange for the preservation of Second Amendment rights are part of America's reality.
[…]
ASPU is a public university in Clarksville, Tennessee, with around 11,000 students enrolled.’

Professor fired over Charlie Kirk post wins $500,000 and gets job back

A Tennessee professor who was removed over a social media post about Charlie Kirk's death has been reinstated.

www.newsweek.com

The First Amendment protects the right of individuals to free speech and expression, even if some perceive that speech as offensive.

Conservatives aren’t at liberty to silence those who express facts and the truth conservatives don’t like.

Charlie Kirk says gun deaths "unfortunately" worth it to keep 2nd Amendment

The conservative founder of Turning Point USA made the comments following a mass shooting in Nashville last week that resulted in six deaths.

www.newsweek.com

So I looked thru the 113 posts here, at this point, and not a one showed what Michael was supposed to have said.
Lots of tempest in a teacup it seems.

So my hasty and limited search has produced the following. I wouldn't consider it worth discharging an employee,, but it certainly is bad taste and of questionable-negative character. (I wouldn't hire a person if I saw this in their background.)
....
After Charlie Kirk was shot at UVU on Wednesday, Darren Michael reportedly published an insensitive post on Facebook. According to a screenshot shared by @DripChud on X, Michael posted a meme of an imaginary conversation between Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet that read:

“‘Is he dead yet?’ asked Piglet. ‘No,’ said Pooh. ‘F**k,’ said Piglet.”

Michael captioned the picture:

“You don’t even need to mention a name to know who this is about.”

According to another screenshot posted by @DripChud, Darren Michael also posted a screenshot of the headline from Newsweek’s April 2023 article that read:

“Charlie Kirk Says Gun Deaths ‘Unfortunately’ Worth it to Keep 2nd Amendment”

APSU president Mike Licari later addressed Darren Michael’s post in an official statement. According to Fox 17, he said:

“Austin Peay State University has fired Darren Michael, professor of Theatre, as a result of a post he shared on social media following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.”

The statement continues:
...

MSN

 

[konradv]

If shooting deranged people is permissible per you loony-tunes Leftists, than I guess it's OK to have open season on any and all Leftist/Democrats.

ICE is already doing it. Imprison the murderers and their orange god.

 

[konradv]

He was a trigger-happy idiot who skated thanks to Pelosi. He should be behind bars. Any other jurisdiction and he would have been charged and probably convicted.

You’re a sick puppy. If antifa was really responsible for J6, you’d be recommending him for a medal. MAGA is peopled by hypocrites in service of a fascist,

 

[Harry Dresden]

You’re a sick puppy. If antifa was really responsible for J6, you’d be recommending him for a medal. MAGA is peopled by hypocrites in service of a fascist,

konrad dont get to cocky,your side has lots of hypocrites too....

 

[Lockback]

You’re a sick puppy. If antifa was really responsible for J6, you’d be recommending him for a medal. MAGA is peopled by hypocrites in service of a fascist,

You're just blathering bullshit.
Antifa??? WTF is that about?
You had a trigger-happy, poorly trained cop, Michael Byrd, who shot Ashli Babbitt for virtually no reason and never even had to do a perp walk.
I hold him responsible for murder even if your side gives him a pass and a pat on the back for taking down that big bad, 5'4" unarmed female former Air Force soldier.
Here's the murderer here with the Glock in his hand that he once left in a bathroom.
Yeah. He's a real pro.
A pro asshole.