Professor Darren Michael has reportedly been reinstated and given $50,000 after being fired over posts about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk says gun deaths are ‘unfortunately’ worth it to keep 2nd Amendment,” read the headline of an article Michael shared. He did not add any additional comment on it.
And this is how he got back:
a settlement agreement between Michael and the university, showing the school will dish out $500,000 and reimburse “therapeutic counseling services.”
“APSU agrees to issue a statement acknowledging regret for not following the tenure termination process in connection with the Dispute,” the settlement reportedly reads. “The statement will be distributed via email through APSU’s reasonable communication channels to faculty, staff, and students.”
And yes, he’s working there again since December.
BTW it’s $500,000, not 50,000.
Only because he fought back, I presume. Fight back, on all levels!
He was tenured. Tenured professors are supposed to be nearly bulletproof when it comes to job security.
Possibly a poor choice of words given the circumstances…but there is nothing in the original comment that can or should justify firing a tenured professor. Being tenured should protect your job specifically for voicing controversial positions. That’s kind of the point.
Though I wouldn’t even say this is controversial…it’s a verifiable objective fact with no added opinion or emotional language…the timing may make it a bit dark, but that’s kind of the point.
It’s ironic how so many people are getting shit for saying mean things about a person who was, at the end of the day, a shining example of first amendment rights.
The thing is, the professor literally didn’t say anything. He posted two photos. One was a headline with the Charlie Kirk quote, and one was about his death.
I’m going to push back a bit here. Because people say a lot that there is no resistance and, to your point, there isn’t any impactful resistance where it matters.
There is a world of difference between people who want to fight for what is right and people who are willing to die for what is right.
The reason we are here is because we have plenty of the former and very very little of the latter.
I do not say this lightly because I fear we are reaching a point that unless people are willing to risk their lives, we will lose our lives to fascism.
Would a potential trial fall under labor dispute (violating tenure agreement) or First Amendment (is the university getting government funding I assume)?
This is what he got fired for btw:
And this is how he got back:
And yes, he’s working there again since December. BTW it’s $500,000, not 50,000.
Only because he fought back, I presume. Fight back, on all levels!
He was tenured. Tenured professors are supposed to be nearly bulletproof when it comes to job security.
Possibly a poor choice of words given the circumstances…but there is nothing in the original comment that can or should justify firing a tenured professor. Being tenured should protect your job specifically for voicing controversial positions. That’s kind of the point.
Though I wouldn’t even say this is controversial…it’s a verifiable objective fact with no added opinion or emotional language…the timing may make it a bit dark, but that’s kind of the point.
It’s ironic how so many people are getting shit for saying mean things about a person who was, at the end of the day, a shining example of first amendment rights.
no shit
The people running these institutions have all revealed an absolute desperation for a cultural zietgiest shift towards right-wing authoritarianism.
They just want it so bad.
The thing is, the professor literally didn’t say anything. He posted two photos. One was a headline with the Charlie Kirk quote, and one was about his death.
Not bulletproof, and especially not in Tennessee. I actually have a colleague from grad school at AP.
The real thing here is that they have rules on the books and didn’t bother to follow them. That often is a monumental fuck up.
Its actually quite insanely concerning how few people understand how feebile the MAGAts actually are when directly challenged.
Their success since 2016 has solely been due to lack of resistance, not anything meaningful they’ve done.
I’m going to push back a bit here. Because people say a lot that there is no resistance and, to your point, there isn’t any impactful resistance where it matters.
There is a world of difference between people who want to fight for what is right and people who are willing to die for what is right.
The reason we are here is because we have plenty of the former and very very little of the latter.
I do not say this lightly because I fear we are reaching a point that unless people are willing to risk their lives, we will lose our lives to fascism.
Would a potential trial fall under labor dispute (violating tenure agreement) or First Amendment (is the university getting government funding I assume)?
The person who fired him also got a bonus, probably by bankrupting the early education department.
Okay I made that up, but you know it’s likely.