Schools, Counties Losing Thousands After Firings Over Kirk Comments

THE CENTER SQUARE—Schools and government entities in Georgia and Tennessee are paying large sums of money to settle lawsuits with educators fired because of their comments about Charlie Kirk, the slain Turning Point USA founder. 

Most of the posts, which were viewed as celebrating Kirk’s death, were on personal social media pages and were reposted online. Collectively, the comments were not complimentary to Kirk.

The settlement amounts range from nearly $300,000 to $1.9 million.

Aaron Terr, public policy director for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, known as FIRE, said in an interview with The Center Square that any anger about the money paid in these settlements should be directed at the government.

“Yes, there may be that short-term cost that may be kind of painful, but the idea is that it’s going to deter similar types of constitutional violations by the government in the future,” Terr said. “And I would say that’s where the public should be directing its ire, not at the people who are trying to vindicate their rights, because this is the only way they can do it, but at the government for violating their rights.”

The University of Tennessee is making one of the largest payouts after firing a professor shortly after Kirk’s death for statements on her personal Facebook page. 

Tamar Shirinian, posting on her personal Facebook page shortly after Kirk was killed in Utah, wrote, “The world is better off without him in it. Even those who are claiming to be sad for his wife and kids….like, his kids are better off living in a world without a disgusting psychopath like him and his wife, well, she’s a sick (expletive) for marrying him so I dont (sp) care about her feelings.” 

Shirinian received a $1.9 million settlement, which the university’s Board of Trustees approved in late June.

“I think any continuing litigation would require significant time and attention and financial resources,” said board Chairman John Compton. “And those resources are better directed toward advancing the institution’s mission, vision and values.” 

Another Tennessee professor received a $500,000 payout and kept his job, according to Clarksville Now. Austin Peay University professor Darren Michael shared a post that Kirk made about the Second Amendment. 

Educators in other states are also settling for large amounts of money. 

A Georgia teacher reached a settlement with her local school system, according to the organization representing her.

The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from the Oglethorpe County School System on the settlement amount. Online court documents did not provide details about the settlement with Michelle Mickens. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which represented Mickens, referred The Center Square to the court document.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Mickens was given $270,420 for “alleged emotional distress” and another $17,080 to cover legal fees.

People are not just losing their jobs. Larry Bushart was arrested in Perry County after he posted a meme on social media with a picture of President Donald Trump and the statement, “We have to get over it. Donald Trump on the Perry High School shooting one day after.”

The post referred to Perry County, Iowa, where a school shooting occurred in 2024 and not Perry County in Tennessee. Bushart spent a month in jail, missed his anniversary and the birth of his first grandchild, according to FIRE, which represented him. He won an $830,000 settlement from the county.

Some cases remain unsettled months after they were filed. 

Laura Sosh-Lightsy, a former dean at Middle Tennessee State University, sued the school in federal court after she was fired for a social media post. The case is in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. 

Monica Meeks was an employee with the state of Tennessee when she commented on a friend’s social media post, “The way you tap dance for White Supremacist should be studied!”

She is also represented by FIRE.

“We’re standing up for Monica Meeks to send a clear message: FIRE will not let public employment mean giving up your right to have an opinion off the clock,” said FIRE senior attorney Greg Greubel. “The First Amendment protects public employees from retaliation for protected speech, and it bars the government from summarily firing an Army veteran like Monica over a Facebook comment despite her long record of exemplary public service.”

Terr said when people are off the clock, they have the right, as public citizens, to speak about issues of public concern. 

“And even if you say something that other people might consider offensive or wrong-headed or insensitive, that doesn’t remove the speech from the First Amendment’s protection,” Terr said. “What an employer, a public employer, has to show in these cases is that it actually caused some serious disruption to its operation.” 

FIRE doesn’t take a position on the content of the speech.

“Our goal is just to protect and defend their right to say it, whether we agree with it or not, because the First Amendment is supposed to be there for everybody,” Terr said.