Identity of Speakers
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Michael Rex
Faculty/Staff
OtherProfessor of English and Creative Writing at Cumberland University
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Max Wood
Faculty/Staff
OtherAssistant E-Sports Coach at Cumberland University
Resources
Additional Information
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Incident Nature:
Social media
Other
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Incident Political Orientation:
Not Clear -
Incident Responses:
Faculty sanctioned
Staff Sanctioned
Rally or Protests
State Campus Free Speech Act
Title IX or other federal statute
Other
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Incident Status:
No litigation
- Was Speech Code incident
Summary
Cumberland University fired Dr. Michael Rex, an English and creative writing professor, and Max Wood, an assistant E-Sports coach, after they made online comments regarding the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Dr. Rex reportedly posted “Karma is beautiful” in response to Kirk’s death. The university said the decision followed a thorough investigation and was intended to uphold a positive and inclusive educational environment. The posts were widely deemed inappropriate, and attempts to retract them were not seen as sufficient.
The dismissals sparked student protests at Cumberland University, with demonstrators arguing that the employees’ First Amendment rights were violated. Students expressed concern that the actions could set a precedent limiting free speech and academic freedom, highlighting tensions between personal expression and professional responsibilities in educational settings.
The incident has drawn attention beyond the campus, including criticism from Senator Marsha Blackburn, who said Dr. Rex should “not be allowed within ten feet of university students—let alone allowed to instruct them,” and argued that his attempted retraction was “too little, too late.” The case is part of a broader national response to Charlie Kirk’s death, with educators and public employees facing scrutiny and disciplinary action for online comments about the incident.
