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An Austin Peay State University theatre professor fired for a social media post shared after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has been reinstated and will be reimbursed $500,000, WKRN reports.
Darren Michael was initially fired from his position as an associate professor of acting and directing in September, before Austin Peay moved him to suspension and fully reinstated him in December, according to a copy of a settlement agreement and settlement authorization obtained by the local Nashville news channel on Monday (January 5). Michael will also receive $500,000 and reimbursed therapeutic counseling services from the school, the documents state.
The professor shared a screengrab of own op-ed previously published in 2023, which quoted Kirk's own thoughts about gun violence, on his Facebook account after the pundit was fatally shot on the campus of Utah Valley University on September 10. The incident gained the attention of Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn, who re-shared a screenshot of the Facebook post, along with Michael's headshot and biography on her X account.
“What do you say, @austinpeay?” Blackburn wrote at the time.
Austin Peay decided to move Michael to suspension, claiming due process hadn't been followed after his initial firing.
“APSU agrees to issue a statement acknowledging regret for not following the tenure termination process in connection with the Dispute,” the compromise and settlement agreement states in part. “…The statement will be distributed via email through APSU’s reasonable communication channels to faculty, staff, and students.”