Professor Darren Michael has reportedly been reinstated and given $50,000 after being fired over posts about assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
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.
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.