Bregy v. Clemson

Summary

On September 11, 2025, following the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Dr. Joshua Bregy, an assistant professor in Clemson University’s Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, shared a Facebook post criticizing Kirk’s rhetoric and responses to political violence. The post stated that violence was never acceptable and that Bregy would never want someone’s life to be taken in an act of violence. He expressed grief for Kirk’s family and questioned the lack of outrage over the killing of a Democratic state representative and her family while saying he did not want Kirk to be made into a martyr. The post was initially public, later restricted to a private audience, and ultimately deleted at the request of university officials.

After Bregy restricted the post, the Clemson College Republicans reposted a portion with a call for his firing, labeling him as “ANOTHER leftist professor.” A political firestorm ensued: grieving conservatives called for retribution, and lawmakers from the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate threatened to withhold funding from Clemson unless he was terminated. The Speaker of the House and the Senate President sent a letter demanding that the Board of Trustees take “immediate and appropriate action.” Clemson subsequently terminated Bregy on September 15, 2025.

On October 3, 2025, the American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina filed a federal lawsuit on Bregy’s behalf. The complaint alleged that his termination violated his First Amendment rights and sought reinstatement, correction of personnel records, and monetary damages. The lawsuit stated that the Facebook post was personal, did not advocate violence, and that the termination was the result of political pressure rather than any disruption to university operations. Faculty at Clemson expressed concern that the firing undermined trust in leadership, and a GoFundMe campaign was created to support Bregy’s legal expenses.

On January 3, 2026, the parties reached a mediated settlement agreement. Clemson rescinded Bregy’s termination and confirmed that he would remain employed through the end of his contract term on May 15, 2026, receiving full pay and benefits during this period. He would not teach, conduct research, or interact with students for the remainder of the spring semester. Clemson agreed to provide positive letters of recommendation based on his prior teaching performance. In exchange, Bregy agreed to drop the lawsuit and resign effective May 15, 2026. The federal court dismissed the case without prejudice and retained jurisdiction to enforce the settlement if necessary.