Citing “Due Process” Blunder, Austin Peay Reinstates Professor Fired Over Charlie Kirk Social Media Post
In a major reversal that underscores the critical importance of academic due process, Austin Peay State University (APSU) has fully reinstated a tenured professor who was fired last September over a controversial social media post related to the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Darren Michael, a longtime professor of theatre, officially returned to his tenured faculty position at the Clarksville campus late last year, effectively ending a months-long saga that drew national headlines and intense scrutiny from political figures.
The controversy began shortly after Charlie Kirk, the founder of the conservative student organization Turning Point USA, was killed during an event on a college campus in September 2025. Professor Michael was terminated after he shared a post on social media that included a headline from a 2023 article: “Charlie Kirk Says Gun Deaths ‘Unfortunately’ Worth it to Keep 2nd Amendment.”
APSU President Mike Licari initially described the post as “insensitive, disrespectful and interpreted by many as propagating justification for unlawful death,” arguing that it caused “significant reputational damage to the university.” The firing came amid a wave of public dismissals across Tennessee and the country for individuals who made similar comments following Kirk’s death, including staff at Middle Tennessee State University and Cumberland University.
The pressure on APSU intensified after U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn publicly shared the professor’s post and tagged the university, demanding action. Within days of the initial termination, however, the university administration was forced to walk back the firing to a suspension after realizing a critical misstep: they had not followed the proper protocol for terminating a tenured faculty member.
According to APSU’s own policy, any termination of a tenured professor requires a formal hearing committee consisting of six tenured faculty members. In an email sent to the campus community, President Licari acknowledged the mistake, stating, “APSU did not follow the required tenure termination process in this matter, and I deeply regret and apologize for the impact this has had on Professor Michael and on our campus community.”
This administrative failure to follow established due process is what ultimately paved the way for Professor Michael’s reinstatement in late December 2025. While the initial firing was presented as a stand against posts that seemed to justify violence, the final decision highlights a powerful lesson: universities must adhere strictly to the academic freedom protections and procedural safeguards afforded to tenured professors, even when under intense political or public pressure. The university’s commitment, as stated by President Licari, is now to ensure that “due process and fairness are upheld in all future actions.”