(NewsNation) — Across the U.S., students and teachers are being met with criticism and consequences for comments made following the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
At Texas State University, a student who mocked Kirk’s death in a now-viral video is no longer enrolled after GOP Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for the student’s expulsion in a social media post Tuesday.
“Mocking assassination must have consequences,” Abbott said.
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The student’s expulsion was confirmed in a statement by university President Dr. Kelly Damphousse.
“I will not tolerate behavior that mocks, trivializes, or promotes violence on our campuses. It is antithetical to our TXST values,” Damphousse wrote.
At Texas Tech University, another student was arrested after taunting mourners at an on-campus vigil for Kirk, making comments such as “people die every day.” The Washington Post reports the student is no longer enrolled at the university.
“Any behavior that denigrates victims of violence is reprehensible, has no place on our campus, and does not align with our values,” the university said in a social media post Monday. “We take all reported violations seriously and address them under university policy and the law.”
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Students aren’t the only ones facing backlash for making comments about Kirk’s death. More than 180 complaints have been filed in Texas against teachers and staff over social media posts after the Texas Education Agency asked school superintendents to report any instances of “inappropriate content being shared.”
“The Texas Education Agency is investigating Texas teachers whose actions called for or incite violence following the Charlie Kirk assassination,” Abbott said. “Those educators—more than 100–will ‘have their teacher certification suspended and be ineligible to teach in a Texas public school.’”
Texas isn’t the only state where students and teachers are facing consequences for their commentary on Kirk. From California to Florida, investigations have been announced.
“We will hold teachers who choose to make disgusting comments about the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk accountable,” Anastasios Kamoutsas, commissioner of the Florida Department of Education, said. “Govern yourselves accordingly.”
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These investigations mark the latest chapter in growing tensions around freedom of speech in the aftermath of Kirk’s death. Across the country, stories of people losing their jobs or facing discipline for their comments regarding Kirk have raised questions about freedom of speech and employment. MSNBC analyst Matthew Dowd and Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah both lost their jobs over comments following Kirk’s death.
During a press conference announcing charges filed against Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old accused of shooting and killing Kirk, text messages between Robinson and his roommate were released. In these text messages, Robinson refers to the roommate as “my love,” noting that he wants to protect them. ABC News reporter Matt Gutman is now being criticized for describing those text messages in a live report as being “very touching,” “intimate” and part of a “portrait of a very human person.”
Gutman has since taken to social media to clarify his comments, writing “he deeply regrets” his choice of words and that he “unequivocally condemns this horrific crime and the pain it caused Charlie Kirk’s family.”
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There are also reports of journalists facing pushback for reportedly honoring Kirk’s life. In Springfield, Illinois, a now former television anchor, Beni Rae Harmony, said she was suspended by her station after she aired a “nonpartisan tribute to Charlie Kirk.” Harmony announced her resignation from WICS-ABC20 in a social media post and stated, “Many in the mainstream media have been fired or punished for mocking his assassination. I believe I am the first to be targeted for honoring him on air.”
In Washington, D.C., House Republicans have introduced resolutions to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar and remove her from her committees after comments she made on a podcast questioning Kirk’s commitment to civil debate in the wake of his assassination. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., posted one such resolution on X, calling Omar’s remarks “disgraceful.” However, Omar has pushed back, alleging that Mace was unable to cite specific comments because “she couldn’t find any.”
