Louisiana professors respond to the governor’s suggestion for a Charlie Kirk statue at LSU

Outrage Over Proposed Statue of Charlie Kirk at LSU

At least two professors in Louisiana have voiced their strong objections to Governor Jeff Landry’s suggestion to erect a statue of Charlie Kirk at Louisiana State University (LSU). One professor even likened Kirk to former KKK leader David Duke.

In a video shared on social media, Landry stated, “To protect free speech, I will challenge the LSU Board of Supervisors to find a location on campus for a statue of Charlie Kirk.” He made this remark during an event at LSU, where he attended a gathering of the Turning Point USA chapter.

During the event, which he claimed had over 1,500 attendees and also featured conservative author Allie Beth Stuckey, Landry urged, “Come on, guys, let’s see if we can be the first campus to do that.”

Criticism from Academics

Robert Mann, a professor emeritus at LSU, criticized Kirk’s proposed recognition, accusing him of being racist and showing dissatisfaction with Landry’s proposal. He questioned, “If Jeff Landry wants to put a statue of a white supremacist on LSU’s campus, it shouldn’t be Charlie Kirk. Shouldn’t he be praising homegrown racists like David Duke, who actually attended LSU?”

Though Mann retired in 2024, he is still active, contributing to the academic community and recently publishing a book through LSU Press.

Nicole Gasparini, an associate professor of environmental science at Tulane University, also slammed Landry’s suggestion, noting that Kirk established an organization aimed at “targeting and harassing professors.” She added, “The governor wants LSU to install a statue of someone who founded an organization with the ‘specific purpose’ of targeting and harassing professors.”

Controversy at Other Universities

Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was recently killed during an event at Utah Valley University. His organization has faced various challenges, including a new chapter at Loyola University New Orleans being prohibited by the student government from acquiring official recognition. This situation denied them access to campus resources and funding.

Some students expressed that the values promoted by TPUSA clash with the principles of their Jesuit Catholic institution, pointing to Kirk’s opposition to same-sex marriage and transgender issues. Another student raised concerns about perceived bias against Hispanics.

The university clarified that organizers have options to appeal the decision through the Student Government Association Review Court, as detailed in Loyola’s Student Organization Handbook. Loyola stated, “The university continues to support this student-led process as it moves to the next stage.”