Clemson University has settled a lawsuit with an assistant professor it fired over a social media post involving the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Under the mediated agreement, the university rescinded the firing and will continue paying the professor through the end of his employment term, though he will not teach during that period.
Clemson University and Dr. Joshua Bregy, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, reached a settlement after his termination in September 2025 prompted a First Amendment lawsuit. The legal action, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina in October 2025, challenged his firing over a personal Facebook post that commented on the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The settlement agreement rescinds Dr. Bregy’s termination and allows him to remain on the university payroll with benefits until his agreed resignation date in May 2026. However, he will not have classroom or student responsibilities during this time, and he must resign by May 15, 2026, dropping his lawsuit as part of the deal.
The post that triggered the firing condemned violence but also criticized Kirk’s rhetoric, using language that suggested “karma” in light of his death. The ACLU argued that Clemson’s actions violated academic freedom and the First Amendment, sparking debate about free speech protections for faculty.
Faculty reaction at Clemson was significant, with reports that the firing “sent shockwaves through the faculty,” prompting an emergency faculty senate meeting and raising concerns about trust in university leadership. The settlement restores Bregy’s employment status retroactively and reinforces protections for faculty speech on personal social media accounts.
Clemson will also allow Bregy to list the university affiliation on pending research grants and will provide positive letters of recommendation from university leadership to support his future career prospects.
This development comes amid broader tensions over how universities handle speech related to politically polarizing figures and events. In a related case, Austin Peay State University in Tennessee reinstated a professor fired over a similar social media post about Charlie Kirk’s death and agreed to a substantial settlement.
Legal advocates for Bregy say the settlement deters public institutions from retaliating against faculty for engaging in political discourse, reinforcing academic freedom and constitutional rights. Critics of the original firing contended that disciplinary actions were influenced by external political pressures rather than clear violations of conduct.
