Broad wave of firings follows Charlie Kirk assassination; NYT documents 145+ cases
More than 145 people across K–12 and higher education, health care, media, government and private industry have been fired, suspended, reassigned or otherwise disciplined after social‑media posts reacting to Charlie Kirk’s assassination, a New York Times tally shows, with earlier counts from NPR and others documenting dozens of cases. Employers and institutions — citing codes of conduct and community impact — have taken actions ranging from immediate terminations to administrative leave, while conservative activists have organized campaigns to identify and pressure posters and some affected employees and advocates have raised free‑speech concerns or pursued legal challenges.
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🔍 Key Facts
- The New York Times identified more than 145 cases of employees who were fired, suspended, reassigned or otherwise disciplined over public comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, based on news reports, public statements and interviews; earlier tallies (e.g., NPR) had documented dozens (about 33) as the wave unfolded.
- Disciplinary actions ranged from terminations and contract cancellations to suspensions, administrative leave, reassignments, formal investigations, appeals and calls to resign — and affected a wide array of sectors, including K–12 and higher education, healthcare, emergency services, the military, airlines, sports organizations, media outlets, local government and private companies.
- High‑profile and representative cases cited across outlets include the firing of Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah; the dismissal or discipline of media figures such as an MSNBC analyst; university personnel (e.g., Middle Tennessee State assistant dean Laura Sosh‑Lightsy, University of Mississippi administrator Lauren Stokes); healthcare workers (e.g., an HonorHealth nurse, contracted anesthesiologist at Riverside Walter Reed, employees at Acadian Ambulance and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta); and local officials (e.g., Palmetto Bay councilman Steve Cody, who was censured).
- Educators were heavily affected: NPR counted at least 21 K–12 educators among those disciplined, and numerous teachers, school resource officers and university faculty were placed on leave, investigated, suspended or faced community protests and walkouts (examples reported include Patrick Freivald, Samantha Marengo, Christopher Condon and Bobby Nove); some state officials and education leaders publicly urged investigations or license revocations.
- Conservative activists and influencers (including Ryan Fournier, Joey Mannarino, Laura Loomer and others) openly organized campaigns to identify people who posted celebratory or mocking content, urged reverse‑image searches, posted employer contact information and encouraged followers to pressure workplaces; Fournier claimed his efforts led to dozens of firings and reported large audience engagement.
- Employers and institutions justified actions largely by citing violations of social‑media or conduct policies, harm to institutional reputation and community impact; some corporations (reported examples include Nasdaq, United and American Airlines) said they disciplined employees. Legal and employment responses vary — private‑sector employers generally can fire for public comments, while at least one nurse (Lexi Kuenzle) filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation after reporting a colleague.
- The wave prompted wide public and institutional reaction: some officials and education leaders called for firings or sanctions, while civil‑liberties groups (e.g., FIRE) and academic organizations (AAUP) warned against government involvement in punishing speech and urged protection of academic freedom; journalism and diversity groups (NABJ/WABJ) engaged with The Washington Post over the firing of its last Black full‑time opinion writer.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (8)
The Bluesky-ization of the American left
"The piece argues that the left’s shift toward Bluesky‑style echo chambers helped normalize extreme reactions to Charlie Kirk’s killing—seen in the spate of firings over social posts—and warns that insularity undermines persuasion and invites backlash."
You don’t have to say something about every terrible thing
"The piece argues that in the wake of incidents like Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the ensuing online fallout, people and institutions don’t need to rush out statements—often it’s better to say nothing until facts are known and emotions cool."
JONATHAN TURLEY: Charlie Kirk wouldn't fire people who hated him, he'd win them over
"Turley argues that to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy, society should reject firing people over offensive reactions to his killing and instead uphold free speech and debate, noting limited exceptions for sensitive public‑safety roles."
Charlie Kirk’s Assassination Unleashes the Antisocial Media
"The piece argues that the vicious, sensationalized online reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing shows how social media culture corrodes empathy and truth, turning tragedy into a dehumanizing spectacle."
Playbook: The cancel culture comeback
"Politico’s Playbook frames a right‑led post‑Kirk wave of firings and sanctions as a 'cancel culture comeback,' probing the cross‑pressures between accountability, partisan activism, and free‑speech concerns."
MAGA’s scary clampdown on free speech
"The piece argues that the post–Kirk assassination firings have morphed into a broader, MAGA‑aligned clampdown driven by government pressure and regulatory threats, posing a serious threat to free‑speech norms."
Right-Wing Cancel Culture is Bad, Actually
"The piece argues that conservatives are now leading an illiberal cancel-culture drive—escalated after Charlie Kirk’s killing—by pushing firings and government-backed pressure over offensive speech, and urges consistent free‑speech norms instead of partisan punishment."
The Good Fight Club: Hounding Political Opponents, Misinformation, and Autism
"An opinion critique arguing that the post‑Charlie Kirk wave of firings exemplifies a punitive cancel‑culture that, together with an environment that amplifies unvetted autism‑treatment anecdotes, harms free speech, due process and public understanding of medical claims."
📰 Sources (25)
In Black columnist's firing, advocates fear decreasing diversity, vital perspectives in news media
New information:
- Names Karen Attiah specifically as having been fired by The Washington Post.
- States Attiah was the Post’s last Black full‑time opinion writer and had 11 years at the paper.
- Reports NABJ and WABJ reactions and that NABJ leadership met with Washington Post Executive Editor Matt Murray.
- Notes Attiah plans to dispute the Post’s decision in court.
A Broad Wave of Firings Followed Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
New information:
- The New York Times identified more than 145 cases of employees fired, suspended, reassigned or otherwise disciplined for comments about Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- Named example: HonorHealth in Phoenix fired nurse Tara Marcelle and is seeking $5,250 in tuition reimbursement.
- The termination letter text is quoted, describing the conduct as 'disgraceful, morally unacceptable and abhorrent.'
- The NYT provides varied examples across states and occupations (professors, health-care workers, police officer suspension, restaurant managers), indicating wider scope than earlier reports.
- NYT attribution: identification based on news reports, public statements and interviews (methodology disclosed)
Education chief urges colleges to punish faculty who cheered Charlie Kirk’s death
New information:
- Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Fox News she wants to see more college presidents fire or suspend faculty who celebrated Charlie Kirk’s death, saying she would "like to see more of that."
- McMahon criticized the defacing of campus tributes as a "crime of personal integrity" and said Kirk’s legacy will advance civil dialogue and free speech on campuses.
- She referenced recent campus incidents, including a GWU administrator no longer employed after a social post and a painted-over memorial rock at UNC Wilmington.
Oregon high school stages walk-out protest over teacher allegedly celebrating Kirk's death
New information:
- Students at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon staged a walk-out Wednesday to protest a staffer’s alleged post celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- The staffer is identified as theater department employee Bobby Nove, who allegedly wrote “Good” when sharing news of Kirk’s death.
- Springfield Public Schools spokesperson Brian Richardson and Principal Kimberlee Pelster issued statements condemning violence and saying the matter is being addressed under district policies.
- As of Friday, Nove remained listed on the school’s website; several students met with the principal to discuss concerns, with no specific disciplinary outcome announced.
Universities crack down on employee social media posts celebrating, defending Kirk's death
New information:
- University of Mississippi fired an administrator, identified by Mississippi Free Press as Lauren Stokes, after she reposted a message calling Charlie Kirk a 'yt supremacist and reimagined Klan member'; Chancellor Glenn F. Boyce issued a public statement saying the employee is no longer employed and that the remarks violate institutional values.
- University of South Dakota: School of Fine Arts professor Michael Hook faces termination; the South Dakota Board of Regents announced its intent to fire him over a post labeling Kirk a 'hate-spreading Nazi,' and his faculty page was removed.
- Middle Tennessee State University fired assistant dean Laura Sosh-Lightsy after she posted, 'Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy,' regarding Kirk’s killing, according to MTSU’s president.
- Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center is reviewing a respiratory therapist, Stephen Byrom, after screenshots showed he wrote, 'He deserves an unnamed ditch… maybe the waste of oxygen will be worth something to the vultures'; OSU Wexner issued a statement condemning violence and confirming the review.
- Fox News Digital also cites footage of UNC Wilmington students defacing a campus tribute mural to Kirk.
Two more healthcare employees fired over Charlie Kirk assassination comments
New information:
- Acadian Ambulance Service in New Orleans fired an employee over a social media post about Charlie Kirk’s assassination; the company provided a statement citing its mission, values, and social media expectations.
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta terminated an unnamed employee for 'inappropriate comments' on social media about Kirk’s killing, saying the rhetoric violated its social media policy.
Celebratory, dismissive reactions to Charlie Kirk’s death putting educators under scrutiny
New information:
- Framingham, Massachusetts superintendent Robert Tremblay confirmed an employee is on leave pending an internal review over a post about Charlie Kirk’s murder.
- Teachers in Sharon, MA, and in the Wachusett Regional School District near Worcester, MA, were also reported under scrutiny/investigation for online comments about Kirk’s killing.
- House Education & the Workforce Chair Tim Walberg issued a statement mourning Kirk as a 'true champion of free speech' and criticized 'indoctrination' in schools, saying students should be taught how to think, not what to think.
- Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas reiterated that the department will investigate and potentially sanction teachers who post 'disgusting comments' about Kirk’s assassination, citing a case of a teacher’s obituary-related post.
Liberal professors’ group backs faculty speech after Charlie Kirk assassination, silent on condemning attack
New information:
- AAUP issued a formal statement expressing 'great alarm' over recent disciplinary actions against faculty, staff, and student speech after Charlie Kirk’s murder and urged university leaders not to curtail academic freedom under political pressure.
- AAUP did not issue a separate statement condemning Kirk’s assassination, though it condemned bomb and terror threats against HBCUs last week.
- AAUP reiterated that colleges should generally not rescind speaker invitations, except in extraordinary cases with strong evidence of imminent danger; it did not say whether that exception would apply to TPUSA or Kirk.
- Context noted that AAUP’s 2024 material criticized TPUSA and described Kirk as a 'professional provocateur' hostile to higher education.
Republican support for free speech wavers after Charlie Kirk assassination
New information:
- Reports Virginia’s Republican superintendent of public instruction declared that teachers who made controversial comments about the killing should have their teaching licenses revoked.
- Reiterates Pentagon leadership’s directive to identify service members who mocked the assassination for discipline, including potential firing, with a fresh Hegseth quote: 'We are tracking all these very closely – and will address, immediately.'
News anchor who resigned after being suspended for Charlie Kirk tribute speaks out
New information:
- Former WICS-ABC20 Springfield anchor Beni Rae Harmony says she resigned after being suspended for airing an on‑air tribute to Charlie Kirk and refusing to remove the clip from her social media.
- Harmony provided on-air remarks describing Kirk as a mentor and cited a favorite saying attributed to him.
- WICS-ABC20 (owned by Rincon Broadcasting Group) confirmed Harmony resigned and stated it has not fired or suspended anyone in the last 90 days; it declined to answer whether a suspension was threatened.
- Harmony previously worked for Turning Point USA from 2021 to 2022.
Florida councilman who mocked Kirk assassination as ‘sacrifice’ to gun ‘Lords’ faces resignation demands
New information:
- Palmetto Bay, Florida, councilman Steve Cody posted 'Charlie Kirk is a fitting sacrifice to our Lords Smith & Wesson' on Facebook (since deleted).
- Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham called for Cody’s resignation on Thursday and the council voted 4–1 on Monday to censure him.
- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly urged Cody to resign; Cody said Tuesday he will not resign.
- Cody posted a follow-up statement expressing regret for sharing the quote but did not commit to stepping down.
Public school teachers face backlash for social media posts mocking Charlie Kirk’s assassination
New information:
- Framingham, MA: King Elementary special education teacher Samantha Marengo placed on leave pending an internal review after posting an Instagram video singing next to a TV newscast announcing Charlie Kirk’s death; Superintendent Robert Tremblay confirmed and issued a statement condemning violence and hateful behavior.
- Naples Central School District, NY: Physics teacher Patrick Freivald placed on leave pending investigation after Facebook posts that mocked Kirk’s killing; Superintendent Kevin Swartz posted a statement noting district values and the leave.
- Crawford Central School District, PA: Technology education teacher Christopher Condon placed on administrative leave after posts including 'Karma’s a b---h'; the district confirmed the leave and said it does not condone the statements.
X account racks up dozens of firings for those publicly celebrating Kirk assassination: 'Fighting back'
New information:
- Conservative activist Ryan Fournier says his X account efforts led to at least 76 firings of people who celebrated or mocked Charlie Kirk’s assassination (claimed figure).
- Fournier reports receiving 51,000 tips, 300 million views and 15 million engagements across platforms, adding that his Facebook surpassed 1 million followers.
- Specific cases highlighted include an Apple employee and an Old Navy employee allegedly fired after posts; a Scottsdale fitness instructor removed; and an Arkansas ELD interventionist reportedly fired.
- Palmetto Bay, Florida Council Member Steve Cody faces resignation calls after a post; Rep. Carlos Gimenez publicly urged Cody to resign.
- Fournier publicly posted company press contact emails in some cases to pressure employers.
Long Island newspaper Newsday apologizes for 'insensitive and offensive' Charlie Kirk assassination cartoon
New information:
- Newsday apologized for publishing a syndicated editorial cartoon about Charlie Kirk’s assassination and removed it from digital platforms.
- The paper said the cartoon used Kirk’s event theme ('Prove Me Wrong') and Turning Point USA name to suggest his killing might be a ‘turning point,’ and called the imagery inappropriate.
- Backlash included boycott calls and condemnations from Suffolk County GOP chair Jesse Garcia, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R‑N.Y.), and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
After Kirk’s killing, a growing conservative campaign seeks to get his critics ostracized or fired
New information:
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted that American Airlines had grounded pilots who 'celebrated' Kirk’s assassination and said they should be fired.
- Civil liberties perspective: FIRE’s Adam Goldstein warned that government involvement in punishing unpopular speech tests First Amendment principles.
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox reiterated that the suspect’s precise motive has not been confirmed; he said the suspect identified with the political left and had expressed dislike of Kirk but was not known to be politically engaged.
- Sen. Lindsey Graham said on NBC that Trump views the killing as an attack on his political movement, citing recent attempts on Trump as context.
Employers firing workers over their public comments about Charlie Kirk
New information:
- Nasdaq said it dismissed an employee over social media posts related to Kirk’s shooting as a clear policy violation.
- United Airlines told CBS it took action against an employee who celebrated Kirk’s death.
- Middle Tennessee State University said it fired a university employee over 'inappropriate and callous' social media comments.
- CBS includes on‑record legal analysis stating private employers can generally fire employees for public comments that harm reputation or violate policy.
Washington Post columnist fired over social media posts after Charlie Kirk's assassination
New information:
- Former Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah says she was fired over Bluesky posts made after Charlie Kirk’s assassination and a Colorado school shooting.
- Attiah published a Substack post Monday detailing that WaPo cited her posts as 'unacceptable' and 'gross misconduct' and allegedly claimed they endangered colleagues; she disputes the allegations.
- The Washington Post declined to comment on personnel matters.
- Attiah’s posts included a quote attributed to Kirk; Fox notes Reuters context that Kirk’s 2023 remarks named specific individuals rather than speaking broadly about all Black women.
School resource officer removed after 'unacceptable' posts about Charlie Kirk assassination
New information:
- Westchester County Police confirmed SRO Tanisha Blanche was removed from Somers Intermediate School and reassigned to administrative duties pending an investigation.
- Somers Superintendent Adam Bronstein told parents the posts were 'completely unacceptable' and 'glorifies violence' and said another SRO will be assigned Monday.
- Screenshots circulating online show the SRO appeared to mock Charlie Kirk’s death and reference the shooter’s race; district and officer did not immediately comment.
NJ Hospital nurse claims retaliation for reporting doctor who 'celebrated' Kirk assassination
New information:
- New Jersey nurse Lexi Kuenzle filed a lawsuit Friday against Englewood Health and Dr. Matthew Jung, alleging retaliation after reporting that the doctor 'celebrated' Charlie Kirk’s assassination.
- Kuenzle says she was suspended without pay pending an investigation after making the report.
- The complaint cites the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination and the Conscientious Employee Protection Act, alleges a hostile work environment, and seeks a jury trial and damages.
- As of Sunday morning, Dr. Matthew Jung was no longer listed on Englewood Health’s website.
- The suit alleges Jung later offered to 'buy lunch' for the offended nursing staff.
Maryland teacher faces calls for resignation over controversial Charlie Kirk meme
New information:
- Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano called for the resignation of a Salisbury Middle School teacher over a meme about Charlie Kirk’s assassination that she said 'expressed support for political violence.'
- Giordano said she would send a formal letter to the Wicomico County Board of Education and superintendent demanding the teacher’s resignation.
- Wicomico County Public Schools said the post was an 'unexpected, unnecessary and unwelcome disruption,' does not reflect district values, and that officials are reviewing the teacher’s actions.
- Local outlet WBOC reported at least three Delmarva-area teachers faced community outrage over social media posts reacting to Kirk’s death.
- The meme reportedly depicted President Trump telling Kirk, 'This [Jeffrey] Epstein thing won’t die, gonna need you to take one for the team.'
- County executive Julie Giordano publicly urged the teacher’s resignation and plans a formal demand to the school board and superintendent.
- Wicomico County Public Schools condemned the post and launched a review.
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