East Tennessee State University – Removal of Faculty, Charlie Kirk

Summary

Following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk on September 10, 2025, East Tennessee State University (ETSU) placed two faculty members, Dr. Andrew Herrmann and Dr. Russell Brown, on administrative leave. The university received numerous complaints about social media posts made by the professors, which reportedly included statements such as “you reap what you sow” and described Kirk’s death as “a victory.” ETSU initiated a review of the situation and emphasized that condoning or celebrating violence is unacceptable and inconsistent with the university’s commitment to civil discourse and respectful engagement.

On September 18, 2025, Dr. Herrmann, an associate professor and associate chair in the Department of Communication Studies and Storytelling, resigned following public backlash. Dr. Brown, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, was facing a university effort to terminate him for conduct deemed to condone or call for violence. On October 1, 2025, Dr. Brown retired amid the controversy over his social media posts. The university stated that it had followed state law and institutional policy in reviewing both cases and reiterated its commitment to maintaining a campus environment where ideas can be debated constructively and all people are treated with dignity and respect.

In addition to Herrmann and Brown, a third faculty member, Dr. Charlie Stearns, faced scrutiny for social media posts related to Kirk’s death. Dr. Stearns, a professor in the Department of History, made posts that included statements such as “you reap what you sow” and described Kirk’s death as “a victory.” As a result of public backlash and internal review, Dr. Stearns retired from his position. These incidents at ETSU are part of a broader national trend in which educators have faced disciplinary actions for social media posts deemed insensitive or celebratory of Kirk’s death.