(NEW YORK) — PEN America is alarmed by the growing number of faculty and staff across multiple campuses who have lost their jobs or been suspended after posting about the murder of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Inside Higher Ed has reported on dismissals and suspensions at Clemson University, Guilford Technical Community College, Cumberland University, Austin Peay State University, Middle Tennessee State University, and the University of Mississippi, as well as South Florida institutions including the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, where suspensions were also reported by the Sun Sentinel .
Kristen Shahverdian, PEN America’s Program Director for Campus Free Speech, said:
“Colleges and universities risk undermining free inquiry and academic freedom if they treat all online expression as grounds for termination. This pattern of knee-jerk dismissals raises concerns about institutions responding to political pressure and social media outrage instead of applying consistent standards that respect free speech and due process. Faculty in particular have broad leeway to speak on issues of the day, a necessary protection for academic freedom and scholarship. However, when administrators fire faculty over social media commentary—whether that speech is offensive or topical—they set a precedent that will be used to silence scholars and students across the spectrum. These firings reverberate beyond the campus walls, creating a culture of fear across society at large. Universities should rebuke violent rhetoric and condemn offensive speech, but they should not impose blanket firings on protected speech.”
William Johnson, PEN America’s Florida Director, said:
“In Florida, we urge higher education leaders to reaffirm the principles that safeguard the academy: to protect academic freedom and freedom of expression, to condemn violence, and to ensure that employees facing scrutiny receive fair and transparent review. Universities must resist the impulse to punish speech simply because some perceive it as disturbing or unpopular. PEN America reaffirms our century-old defense of free expression as essential to creative and democratic life and calls on all administrators and the public to respond not with reflex or reprisal but with thought, principle, and restraint. Protecting free expression during times of crisis is not a luxury; it is a core responsibility of educational institutions in Florida and nationwide.”
About PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
Contact: Malka Margolies, [email protected], 718-530-3582