Tennessee University Settles with Professor After Controversial Firing
A university in Tennessee has reportedly agreed to pay $500,000 and offer reinstatement to a tenured professor who was dismissed due to his social media comments regarding the death of conservative figure Charlie Kirk.
The settlement, as reported, includes plans for Austin Peay State University in Clarksville to reimburse the professor for therapy costs and admit that it did not adhere to its own policies when terminating him.
Darren Michael, who has served as an associate professor in acting and directing since 2007, was let go on September 12, 2025, for resharing posts related to Kirk’s murder. One notable post quoted Kirk’s prior comments claiming that gun-related fatalities were “unfortunately” justifiable in defense of the Second Amendment.
After the post gained traction online, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) urged the university to take action, even sharing a screenshot of the post with a query directed at APSU, asking, “@austinpeay, what do you think?”
Following Michael’s termination, university President Michael Licari criticized the content of the post, labeling it as “insensitive” and “disrespectful” and suggesting it implied support for wrongful death.
In late September, APSU admitted that it had not followed the necessary procedures for dismissing a tenured faculty member. Consequently, they suspended Michael while they initiated the termination process. Reports indicate that Licari sent an email to the campus on December 30 announcing Michael’s return to his position, recognizing the university’s failings and expressing regret over the situation.
A university spokesperson confirmed the reinstatement but noted that the details regarding the settlement remain confidential. “Effective December 30, 2025, Professor Darren Michael is back in his tenured role,” she remarked, adding that further comments were limited by confidentiality agreements.
In the aftermath of Kirk’s death, several educational officials were noted for sharing posts that seemed to praise the circumstances surrounding his demise. This sparked widespread backlash from various lawmakers and conservative groups who sought accountability.
