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Who is Darren Michael? Tennessee Uni reinstates professor fired over Charlie Kirk post, pays him huge compensation
APSU will compensate professor Darren Michael with $500,000 following his wrongful termination linked to a post about Charlie Kirk.
Austin Peay State University (APSU) has agreed to compensate one of its professors with $500,000 following his initial termination due to a social media post in connection with the passing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The state university will additionally compensate Michael for “therapeutic counseling services,” reported local outlet WKRN News 2 on Tuesday.
“APSU agrees to issue a statement acknowledging regret for not following the tenure termination process in connection with the Dispute,” states the agreement, as per WKRN News 2.
“The statement will be distributed via email through APSU’s reasonable communication channels to faculty, staff, and students,” it adds.
What led to Darren Michael's termination
Darren Michael, who serves as an associate professor of acting and directing at APSU, was dismissed by the university last year on September 12 after making remarks related to Kirk’s death. In September, APSU placed Michael on suspension before ultimately reinstating him in the classroom last month.
Kirk, the founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, was tragically shot during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
Two days later, US Senator Marsha Blackburn, a Republican from Tennessee, shared a Facebook post made by Michael on her X account
Michael’s post contained a shared article titled “Charlie Kirk says gun deaths are ‘unfortunately’ worth it to keep 2nd Amendment,” which addressed the contentious remarks made by Kirk shortly after the Covenant School shooting. It also included a photograph of Michael and his resume.
Here's what APSU said
Later that day, the university in Clarksville issued a statement stating that Michael had been dismissed due to social media remarks that were deemed “insensitive, disrespectful, and interpreted by many as endorsing justification for unlawful death.”
In response to Michael's termination, APSU President Mike Licari said that such behavior is inconsistent with Austin Peay’s dedication to mutual respect and human dignity.
Here's why Darren Michael's case matters
Michael's situation was among several cases throughout the state and other parts of the country following Kirk's demise, which witnessed a surge of conservative activists, influencers, and politicians spearheading a predominantly online initiative to implement employment measures against people who were seen making negative online comments about Kirk.
