Identity of Speakers
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Coastal Carolina University Employees
Faculty/Staff
Other
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Social media
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Staff Sanctioned
Title IX or other federal statute
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
In the days following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, Coastal Carolina University reviewed social media posts made by two employees that drew public criticism. One employee was dismissed and another was suspended without pay pending further review. While the university did not disclose the full content of the posts, reports indicated that one post condemned “repeating bigoted ideas.” The university said the actions were taken to uphold institutional values and maintain a safe and respectful environment.
State legislators, including Representatives Adam Morgan and Nancy Mace, publicly criticized the posts and pressured the university to take action. Representative Mace highlighted a comment from a CCU public safety employee suggesting that she might be “too far behind.” Some lawmakers and observers construed this comment as potentially threatening, though it was not necessarily intended as a threat. She called the comment unacceptable, and Congressman Fry also condemned the behavior, calling it “totally unacceptable” and demanding appropriate consequences.
In response, Coastal Carolina University emphasized that personal beliefs and opinions shared on individual social media accounts did not reflect the views of the institution. The university reaffirmed its commitment to supporting student success with integrity and accountability. A public records request later revealed that the university did not have a staff-specific social media policy, prompting discussions about guidelines and procedures for employee conduct on social media platforms.
