- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Professor receives $500k and reinstatement for Charlie Kirk online post firing.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:30 am
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:30 am
WKRN
quote:
Austin Peay State University will pay one of its professors $500,000 after initially firing him for a social media post made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at APSU, was fired by the institution last year after comments on Kirk’s death. In September, APSU moved Michael to suspension before fully bringing him back into the classroom last month.
quote:
Michael shared an article quoting Kirk’s own thoughts about gun violence. That post gained the attention of Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who posted a screenshot of Michael’s post to X along with his headshot and biography.
“What do you say, @austinpeay?” the caption to Blackburn’s post reads.
APSU moved Michael to suspension after the initial firing, adding that due process had not been followed.
12
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:32 am to ATrillionaire
Nasty commies look out for nasty commies.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:33 am to SouthernHog
quote:
Nasty commies look out for nasty commies.
Reality is he posted Kirk's own words.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:35 am to ATrillionaire
Pretty retarded to fire a state employee for reposting the headline of a published article without further comment.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:41 am to ATrillionaire
quote:
Reality is he posted Kirk's own words.
Reality is, commies suck.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:47 am to ATrillionaire
quote:Words out of context and distorting the intent of the initial speaker. Was a very creative way for him to publicly state his joy in a politically motivated public execution of someone he disagreed with.
Reality is he posted Kirk's own words.
I think AP did the wrong thing legally, though it was morally correct. Legal /= Moral, nor does the inverse.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:47 am to ATrillionaire
congrats?
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:47 am to ATrillionaire
quote:a hollyweird breader
Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at APSU,
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:48 am to AwesomeSauce
Progressives would put a bullet in your head if they could get away with it.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:48 am to Relham10
quote:
Darren Michael, an associate professor of acting and directing at APSU,
Means he has the ghey
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:53 am to ATrillionaire
Good for him. frick CK....<-----see how the first amendment works?
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:57 am to moon
quote:First amendment protects you from the government, not an employer. AP had to reinstate because of how they carried out the firing, not because they fired him.
-see how the first amendment works?
Posted on 1/7/26 at 9:58 am to ATrillionaire
I would think condoning gun violence on a campus, and saying people should be murdered for having a different opinion, are both fundamentally incompatible with being a university professor.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:04 am to AwesomeSauce
Incorrect. Peay is a public school, therefore it is the government for 1st amendment purposes.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:04 am to SouthernHog
quote:Reality is, you sound retarded
Reality is, commies suck.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:05 am to Bestbank Tiger
quote:
I would think condoning gun violence on a campus, and saying people should be murdered for having a different opinion, are both fundamentally incompatible with being a university professor.
I would agree. Not sure what that has to do with this situation, but I agree.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:09 am to AwesomeSauce
quote:
First amendment protects you from the government, not an employer. AP had to reinstate because of how they carried out the firing, not because they fired him.
A public university is considered a government entity under the First Amendment. Pretty sure Austin Peay is public, not private.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:44 am to pmacneworleans
quote:
Incorrect. Peay is a public school, therefore it is the government for 1st amendment purposes.
It is govt, but in this specific case the payment was for the termination protocols not being followed initially (firing with a public statement on his termination and then having to reinstate & suspend to follow the protocols) which created some need for counseling. The university’s apology was also for not following the required
quote:
Austin Peay will pay Michael half a million dollars as reimbursement for what is being described as "therapeutic counseling services.”
WKRN News 2, a local ABC News affiliate, obtained a copy of the settlement, which also indicates the school is to issue a "statement acknowledging regret" for failing to follow proper procedures.
“APSU agrees to issue a statement acknowledging regret for not following the tenure termination process in connection with the Dispute,” the settlement reads, according to the outlet.
quote:
Licari has now issued a new statement following Michael's reinstatement.
“APSU did not follow the required termination process in this matter, and I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community,” he said. “I am committed to ensuring that due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions.”
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:45 am to AwesomeSauce
quote:
First amendment protects you from the government, not an employer.
Austin Peay is the government, dumbass.
Posted on 1/7/26 at 10:49 am to pmacneworleans
quote:Incorrect. While the employee does not lose all 1st amendment rights they are still limited to what they can and cannot say. Being employed by the government does afford them greater protections especially in regards to speech as a private citizen, but it does not give them full immunity.
Incorrect. Peay is a public school, therefore it is the government for 1st amendment purposes.
Page 1 of 3
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News