Board of trustees approves $1.9M settlement with Shirinian over Charlie Kirk comment
The University of Tennessee approves a $1.9M settlement with Tamar Shirinian, who was terminated after a social media comment about Charlie Kirk's assassination. The settlement requires approval from the governor and attorney general.Summary
Tamar Shirinian, a former University of Tennessee anthropology professor, received a $1.9 million settlement to resolve her wrongful termination case. Her termination stemmed from a private social media comment stating 'the world is better off without him in it' regarding political influencer Charlie Kirk. The settlement was sanctioned by the university's Audit and Compliance Committee in a nonpublic meeting on June 29, following her lawsuit filed in October 2025. The agreement does not include her reinstatement, and it now requires approval from Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. This case highlights broader debates about free speech, due process, and academic freedom, with similar incidents at other institutions like Austin Peay State University, where a professor was reinstated and compensated $500,000 for a related online post.
(Source：The Daily Beacon)